Phytohormone regulation of root growth triggered by P deficiency or Al toxicity

Phosphorus (P) deficiency and aluminum (Al) toxicity often coexist and limit plant growth on acid soils. It has been well documented that both P deficiency and Al toxicity alter root growth, including inhibition of primary roots and promotion of lateral roots. This suggests that plants adapt to both stresses through a common regulation pathway. Although an expanding set of results shows that phytohormones play vital roles in controlling root responses to Pi starvation and Al toxicity, it remains largely unknown whether P and Al coordinately regulate root growth through interacting phytohormone biosynthesis and signal transduction pathways. This review provides a summary of recent results concerning the influences of P deficiency and Al toxicity on root growth through the action of phytohormones, most notably auxin and ethylene. The objective is to facilitate increasing insights into complex responses of plants to adverse factors common on acid soils, which can spur development of 'smart' cultivars with better root growth and higher yield on these globally distributed marginal soils.