Enhancing Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Crops: Genetic, Physiological, and Management Insights

The importance of nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE) as one of the topics of modern agricultural research is determined by the significance of this problem for increasing crop productivity and reducing negative environmental effects. Nitrogen is an essential macronutrient for crop growth, development, photosynthesis, and biomass formation. At the same time, the utilization efficiency of applied nitrogen fertilizers in major field crops (wheat, maize, barley, rice, sorghum, millet, sugarcane, cotton, soybean, canola, and sunflower) is rather low and varies within 20% to 50%. Inefficient nitrogen utilization affects not only increased expenditures on cultivation but also leads to such phenomena as nitrate leaching, eutrophication, soil degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions. The development of molecular technologies, genomics, physiology, and precision agriculture has contributed considerably to elucidation of the physiological and genetic mechanisms of NUE. Nevertheless, some aspects of the regulation of nitrogen uptake, assimilation, transport, remobilization, and their interaction with environmental stresses remain poorly understood at present.The objective of this Research Topic is to add new insights into our current understanding of the various genetic, physiological, biochemical and agronomic processes involved in controlling the nitrogen use efficiency of crop plants. Although there have been tremendous advances in identifying various genes, transporters, signaling pathways and agronomical practices for efficient nitrogen utilization, the integration of these findings into robust and highly productive cropping systems has remained a challenge. This Research Topic intends to close this gap by bringing together findings from advances in plant genetics, functional genomics, molecular breeding, crop physiology, soil science, microbiome interactions as well as nutrient management. Special attention is placed on the acquisition, assimilation, remobilization, and utilization of nitrogen under both normal and stress conditions, including drought, salinity and climate variability. The ultimate aim is to come up with innovative approaches that increase crop productivity, decrease fertilizer usage, avoid environmental pollution, and sustain agricultural systems in order to meet future food security requirements.This Research Topic encourages submission of original research papers, reviews, mini-reviews, perspectives, methodology articles, and opinions that are relevant to interdisciplinary approaches to improve NUE in crops. Relevant topics may include, but are not limited to: ·  Genetics and molecular biology of NUE. ·  N transporters and signal transduction pathways.·  Physiology and biochemistry of nitrogen uptake and utilization. ·  Nitrogen metabolism and its interaction with abiotic or biotic stress.·  Root system development and microbiome function in NUE. ·  Genome editing and molecular breeding for breeding NUE crops. ·  Nutrient management and precision agriculture. ·  Soil fertility management. ·  Systems biology and omics studies. ·  Crop modeling and simulation of NUE.·  Environmental and socio-economic aspects of NUE improvement.Submissions that integrate laboratory, greenhouse, field, and computational studies or applications of basic science findings to agriculture into practical agricultural solutions are particularly encouraged. Topic editors: Ioannis Roussis, Ioanna Kakabouki, Andreea D. ONA, EVANGELIA TIGKA Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84666/enhancing-nitrogen-use-efficiency-in-crops-genetic-physiological-and-management-insights