Allocation of Phosphorus Fractions in Chinese Fir in Response to Low Phosphorus Availability Using 32P Tracer

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) is among the most intractable constraints on plant fertility, particularly in acidic soils with high P fixation capacities. The effects of nutrient limitation and the adaptive strategies of plants in infertile soils are central topics in plant ecology. The development of tree cultivars with greater P use efficiency (PUE), defined as the ability of a tree to grow and be productive in soils with reduced P availability, would substantially improve forest development. The ability of plants to redistribute and transfer P across fractions determines their adaptability to P limitations. However, the mechanisms of P utilization and transport remain unknown in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.) from the perspective of P fraction distribution. In this study, we investigated the distribution and translocation patterns of exogenous P and different P fractions in the M1 Chinese fir, which was identified as exhibiting high P-deficient resistance ability and maintaining higher yield under low P stress relative to the average clones, using 32P tracking, which can accurately trace the migration pathways of exogenous P after plant absorption. We found that exogenous P in the roots was higher than in the stems or leaves under low-P conditions in which the amount of the exogenous P absorbed by M1 was significantly reduced. Under low-P conditions, the plants optimized P allocation, which led to higher PUE than under high-P conditions, with the highest PUE in the leaves, followed by the stems and roots. The M1 clone maintained a high ratio of soluble P (i.e., inorganic P and ester P) in its leaves and stems, which improved P mobility and recycling under the conditions of limited P. In the roots, the P fractions shifted from soluble inorganic P and ester P to insoluble P (i.e., nucleic P), but the total P concentration was relatively stable, which may ensure root growth and exogenous P absorption under the conditions of limited P. Our results confirm that the M1 Chinese fir reduces P demand, optimizes the allocation of P among P fractions, and increases PUE to maintain aboveground productivity in response to limited P conditions.