Abstract
Potassium is an essential macronutrient that has been partly overshadowed in root science by nitrogen and phosphorus. The current boom in potassium-related studies coincides with an emerging awareness of its importance in plant growth, metabolic functions, stress tolerance, and efficient agriculture. In this review, we summarized recent progress in understanding the role of K+ in root growth, development of root system architecture, cellular functions, and specific plant responses to K+ shortage. K+ transport is crucial for its physiological role. A wide range of K+ transport proteins has developed during evolution and acquired specific functions in plants. There is evidence linking K+ transport with cell expansion, membrane trafficking, auxin homeostasis, cell signaling, and phloem transport. This places K+ among important general regulatory factors of root growth. K+ is a rather mobile element in soil, so the absence of systemic and localized root growth response has been accepted. However, recent research confirms both systemic and localized growth response in Arabidopsis thaliana and highlights K+ uptake as a crucial mechanism for plant stress response. K+-related regulatory mechanisms, K+ transporters, K+ acquisition efficiency, and phenotyping for selection of K+ efficient plants/cultivars are highlighted in this review.
Highlights
Potassium is a macronutrient that may constitute up to 10% of plant dry weight [1]
Adaptive changes of root system architecture (RSA) and root hair coverage evolved in plants to enhance K+ uptake in potassium limiting conditions [10,23]
We focused on K+ involvement in root growth and root system architecture establishment at various levels, from cell growth up to root system response to stress factors
Summary
Potassium is a macronutrient that may constitute up to 10% of plant dry weight [1]. It is a major inorganic cation in the plant cytoplasm, essential for activity of various enzymes, including those participating in primary metabolism [2]. Adaptive changes of root system architecture (RSA) and root hair coverage evolved in plants to enhance K+ uptake in potassium limiting conditions [10,23]. Some growth responses to low K+ provide functional adjustments of the root system. We focused on K+ involvement in root growth and root system architecture establishment at various levels, from cell growth up to root system response to stress factors. The root system responses to low K+ stress are highlighted
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