The interplay between phosphorus nutrition and abiotic stresses in plants

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient required for plant growth, development, and resilience to environmental stresses. Its availability in soil and homeostasis within plants are strongly influenced by environmental conditions, with unfavorable environments and soil factors disrupting phosphate availability, absorption, transport, and utilization. Optimizing phosphate supply can alleviate the detrimental impacts of abiotic stresses, thereby supporting growth and improving stress tolerance. Recent studies reveal that abiotic stresses modulate phosphate signalling pathways and alter the expression of phosphate-responsive genes, often affecting key regulators of P homeostasis. Strategic manipulation of phosphate transporters and their regulatory pathways offers a promising approach to enhance plant adaptation to challenging environments. This review highlights current advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms that coordinate P-responsive gene expression and homeostasis pathways under fluctuating P availability and stress conditions. It emphasizes the critical role of P nutrition in enhancing plant stress tolerance through antioxidant activation, osmolyte accumulation, membrane stabilization, and metal-phosphate complex formation. An in-depth mechanistic understanding of P-stress interactions will inform the development of P-efficient, and stress-resistant crop varieties and guide more sustainable P fertilizer management in agriculture.