This study investigates how phosphorus (P) levels are associated with carbon-nitrogen metabolism in wheat grains. Optimal P application (105 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹) was associated with enhanced pericarp-endosperm coordination, increased carbon allocation to the endosperm, and early B‑type starch granule formation. Starch granule‑associated protein (SGAP) proteomics showed that optimal P upregulated cytoskeletal and starch‑synthesis proteins bound to starch granules in the endosperm, while reducing storage protein degradation‑related SGAPs in the pericarp. These metabolic adjustments were correlated with increased grain‑filling intensity and duration, and were associated with the highest theoretical grain weight (50.70 mg). Furthermore, optimal P was associated with enrichment of amino acid biosynthesis pathways and with higher levels of essential amino acids (e.g., lysine and threonine by 17.0--26.8%) and an improved essential amino acid profile without altering total protein content. In contrast, excessive P (210 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹) was associated with disrupted inter‑tissue coordination but did not simply impair grain filling; instead, HP corresponded to a unique developmental program: it was linked to an early burst of C‑type starch granules (0∼5 µm) at 7 DPA, yet by maturity achieved the highest proportion of large A‑type granules (56.8%) and the highest total starch content (63.5%), together with elevated endosperm phosphorus at 14 DPA and enrichment of spliceosome‑related pathways. HP also showed higher levels of several functional amino acids (glutamate, cysteine, histidine, proline) compared to P0. However, HP was associated with a higher gliadin/globulin ratio and did not improve grain yield. These findings suggest that phosphorus supply is associated with grain quality through tissue‑specific metabolic reprogramming, and that precision management-rather than maximized application-warrants consideration for optimizing both yield and processing quality.

L-Glutamic acid (L-Glu) is central to carbon-nitrogen metabolism, yet its ability to improve starch quality by regulating grain metabolism and by directly modulating starch structure remains unclear. In this study, we integrated a field experiment with an in vitro experiment and combined untargeted metabolomics, microscopy, structural characterization, physicochemical and processing property analyses, and molecular dynamics simulations. It was found that under drought, L-Glu spraying reprogrammed the grain metabolome, with pathway enrichment in aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis and starch/sucrose metabolism. In vitro, L-Glu increased the full width at half maximum of the Raman band at 480 cm-1 and altered the FTIR absorbance ratio of 1047/1022 cm-1. L-Glu enhanced in vitro digestibility and reduced swelling power and paste transparency, while decreasing setback viscosity, suggesting a potential inhibition of short-term starch retrogradation; however, freeze-thaw stability was reduced. Microscopy revealed a more disordered gel network after L-Glu addition. Simulations showed that L-Glu formed 1.47-2.18 persistent hydrogen bonds with amylose chain per system and extensive hydrogen bonds with water.

The aggravation of ozone (O3) pollution poses a significant threat to agricultural production. With China being the leading wheat producer of the world, contributing 17.8% to global output, the vulnerability of wheat to O3 is of particular concern. Despite extensive research on the impacts of O3 on wheat production and the ongoing development of new wheat cultivars over the years, a connection between yield loss and the released ages of wheat cultivars under O3 stress remains unestablished. Addressing this, the experiment was carried out at the Yangzhou Rice and Wheat Free-air Gas Concentration Enrichment (FACE) Testing Base in China, using 17 wheat cultivars developed since the 1970s as experimental materials. The elevated O3 concentration in the test was 1.5 times higher than that in a normal atmosphere. The results indicated that O3 led to a significant reduction in wheat yield of 18.19%. The yield of cultivars released in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and after 2000, decreased by 24.9%, 23.3%, 19.8%, and 14.7%, respectively. Overall, the direct effect of 1,000-grain weight on yield was the most significant, followed by the number of grains per spike, whereas the number of spikes contributed least to the yield components. To enhance resistance to O3 stress in future breeding efforts, increasing the 1,000-grain weight should be a primary objective. Our findings also revealed that elevated O3 concentration led to higher sedimentation values and protein content while lowering bulk density, hardness, and starch content. As the release age approaches, the rate of decrease in bulk density diminishes gradually. In terms of hardness, sedimentation value, and starch content, varieties released in the 1990s exhibited less sensitivity, whereas those released after the 2000s experienced the most significant changes in protein content. It is worth noting that the impact on the nutritional quality of modern cultivars is particularly significant, particularly regarding starch and protein content. Stress indices indicate that the cultivars released after 2000 exhibit stronger resistance to yield loss. The Yangmai series cultivars appear to be promising parental lines for future breeding programs aimed at developing O3-resistant wheat.

Context In oasis drip-irrigated wheat systems, optimizing fertilization strategies to reconcile productivity with soil sustainability remains challenging. Methods A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the synergistic effects of organic substitution (OFS) combined with green manure species (soybean [SB], rape [RP], sunflower [SF]) on soil nutrient stoichiometry, microbial metabolism, and wheat yield formation. Results Compared to conventional fertilization, OFS enhanced wheat yield by improving leaf area (16.5-23.0 %), photosynthetic rate (26.0-28.6 %) and grain-filling duration (4.6-11.3 %), while boosting grain nutrient uptake (9.6-16.0 %) and quality. Under OFS, green manures differentially regulated soil properties: RP elevated soil organic carbon (SOC, 13.6-16.6 %), carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N, 7.8-10.8 %), carbon-to-phosphorus ratio (C/P, 15.5-17.8 %), and available P (6.3-10.8 %), achieving maximum gain yield (5.4-31.7 %) via increased microbial biomass P (30.7-50.3 %); SF enhanced SOC (12.6-15.8 %), C/P (14.5-19.2 %), and available potassium (10.0-13.3 %) while maintaining grain yield comparable to RP; SB increased total N (8.7-9.9 %), N/P (6.7-9.1 %), and available N (11.5-15.1 %), but was constrained by high soil alkalinity (pH >8.5). Concurrently, SB reduced C/N (3.8-6.8 %) and showed yield parity with summer fallow. Conclusions Crucially, non-legume green manures outperformed legumes in oasis soils due to higher salt tolerance and nutrient activation efficiency. We propose a targeted green manure selection framework: salt-tolerant RP/SF for organic-amended fields to enhance P/K availability, and salt-resistant SB genotypes for reduced-fertilizer systems to sustain N supply. Significance These findings demonstrate that species-specific green manure integration with OFS reshapes soil-microbe interactions, offering a viable pathway to achieve yield stability and ecological intensification in arid oasis agriculture.

Phosphorus supply significantly influences starch and amino acid accumulation in wheat grains, yet the mechanisms coordinating sugar–amino acid metabolic crosstalk under differential phosphorus availability remain elusive. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a controlled trial on phosphorus supplementation using wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Xindong 20) with three treatments: P0 (0 kg·ha−1, phosphorus deficiency), LP (105 kg·ha−1, normal phosphorus), and HP (210 kg·ha−1, phosphorus excess). Seed samples were collected at 7, 14, and 21 days post-anthesis (DPA). This design enabled a systematic analysis of how phosphorus availability modulates the metabolic relationship between amino acids and sugars during grain development. Proteomic profiling of starch granule-associated proteins (SGAPs) demonstrated that wheat reprograms carbohydrate allocation in response to phosphorus availability. Notably, differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) exhibited tissue-specific regulation patterns: pericarp-localized DEPs were predominantly up-regulated, whereas endosperm-associated DEPs showed down-regulation under phosphorus modulation. Mechanistically, phosphorus application triggered accelerated starch catabolism in the pericarp (Pe) concomitant with enhanced starch anabolism in the endosperm (En), thereby altering the temporal dynamics of starch granule development. These findings elucidate key regulatory patterns of phosphorus nutrition in wheat grain metabolism, establishing a biochemical framework for the optimization of starch quality parameters. The identified phosphorus-responsive metabolic networks reveal pivotal mechanisms that support the development of precision breeding strategies and phosphorus-efficient cultivation practices. This research offers novel pathways to simultaneously improve both grain yield and nutritional quality in wheat production systems.

Post-anthesis drought impairs wheat starch synthesis, compromising structure and function. Organic compounds are widely used to modulate crop growth and mitigate environmental stressors, but the potential of L-glutamic acid (L-Glu) in alleviating drought-induced effects on starch biosynthesis and structural attributes remains unexplored. A two-year field trial (2022-2024) revealed that: (1) Foliar application of L-Glu significantly increased the contents of amylopectin, amylose, and total starch in drought-stressed grains, increased the volumetric proportions of B-type and C-type starch granules, and reduced the number of surface and internal micropores and microchannels within starch granules. (2) L-Glu enhanced drought-tolerant wheat's starch branching level and the proportions of A- and B1-chains, inducing structural reorganization evidenced by increased relative crystallinity, increased Fourier-transform infrared peak intensity ratios (1047/1022 cm-1 and 1022/995 cm-1), and reduced Raman full width at half maximum (FWHM) at 480 cm-1, synergistically optimizing short- and long-range molecular order. (3) L-Glu improved starch transparency, wholemeal swelling power, and modified thermal stability and pasting properties, enhancing starch quality for food and industrial applications. In summary, under post-anthesis drought stress, the organic compound L-Glu enhanced starch biosynthesis in wheat grains and effectively alleviated the negative impacts of drought on starch quality through multiscale structural optimization, thereby improving its functional properties.

Starch granule size is strongly related to the physicochemical properties and quality of starch. This study used genetic engineering techniques to obtain mutants and overexpressing lines of the wheat amyloplast-division gene TaFtsZ2, to regulate the size and physicochemical properties of wheat starch granules. The results showed that the gene TaFtsZ2 was localized to the chloroplasts of wheat leaves. Although mutation of this gene did not result in unfavorable agronomic traits, it caused abnormal amyloplast division, leading to irregular starch morphology and increased granule size and number of micropores. Simultaneously, the mutation also led to a down-regulation in the expression of sucrose metabolism-related genes and starch-branching enzyme genes. As a result, the total starch content, amylopectin content, starch branching degree, and crystallinity all decreased compared with those of the non-mutated lines, and the contents of amylose, resistant starch, and proteins increased. The starch also exhibited lower peak viscosity and a higher gelatinization temperature. In contrast, overexpression of TaFtsZ2 promoted amyloplast division, increasing the number of small starch granules. It also up-regulated the expression of genes related to starch and sucrose metabolism, leading to an increase in starch-branching degree, amylopectin content, peak viscosity and a decrease in gelatinization temperature, ultimately improving the quality of wheat starch. This study will provide a new method for regulating the size and physicochemical properties of wheat starch granules by controlling amyloplast division and novel germplasm resources for the production of wheat starch with specific functions.

Post-anthesis drought stress (PADS) greatly influences wheat grain development and programmed cell death (PCD) in endosperm. However, the response mechanism of PCD in wheat endosperm to abiotic stress is still unclear at present. In this study, the physiological parameters and transcriptome and proteome of winter wheat varieties Xindong No. 18 (XD18, drought-sensitive variety) and Xindong No. 22 (XD22, drought-tolerant variety) under PADS were analyzed. The results showed that under PADS, the endosperm cell viability of XD18 and XD22 decreased, the number of nuclei with DNA break increased by 21% and 9%, respectively, the chromatin condensed, and the nuclear envelope rupture and cytoplasm leakage occurred, compared with those in the control group. Besides, the nuclei count of XD18 and XD22 decreased by 6.07% and 7.5%, respectively, and the DNA hydrolase activity (24.7% and 28.9%), H2O2 content (54.3% and 38.7%), and MDA content (44.1% and 33.8%) all increased. A total of 21,677 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 3388 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were detected. Among them, 48 PCD-related proteins were identified. The ubiquitin protein (TraesCS1A01G397400.1) exhibited a high expression level in XD22. The integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analysis showed that the expression of genes related to DNA repair and membrane functions were up-regulated, which confirmed the results of physiological analysis. Particularly, the glutathione-ascorbic acid cycle pathway and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade pathway mediated by Ca2+, abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene (ETH), and flg22 were significantly enriched. Therefore, the two were key pathways involved in the regulation of wheat endosperm PCD under PADS. This study will deepen our understanding of the PCD in wheat endosperm in response to PADS, and is of great significance for screening candidate genes related to wheat stress resistance.

Drought is one of the important factors affecting wheat yield. However, the effect of split application of phosphorus fertilizer on the programmed cell death (PCD) of wheat endosperm cells under different post-anthesis water treatments is still unclear. In this study, three phosphorus fertilization methods (P1, all phosphorus fertilizer was applied at the spring green-up stage; P2, 50 % and 50 % of phosphorus fertilizer were applied at the spring green-up stage and jointing stage, respectively; P3, 40 %, 30 %, and 30 % of phosphorus fertilizer were applied at the spring green-up, jointing, and grain filling stages, respectively) were designed. Besides, two postanthesis water treatments were designed: WT, full irrigation treatment; DT, drought stress treatment. Then, the effects of P1, P2, and P3 treatments on the endosperm cell development, nuclear number, nuclease activity, DNA fragmentation, DNA content, grain weight, and phosphorus content of winter wheat variety "Xindong 23" under WT and DT conditions were determined at different stages after anthesis. The results showed that under WT and DT conditions, the degree of nuclear deformation and nuclear membrane depression in P3 treatment was milder than that in P1 and P2 treatments. The ACPase amount in P3 treatment was more than that in P1 and P2 treatments. The number of endosperm nuclei in P3 treatment was higher than that in P1 and P2 treatments. Under DT condition, the endosperm DNA content of wheat grains collected 14-35 days post anthesis (DPA) in P3 treatment increased, and the peak time of genomic DNA fragmentation in P3 treatment was later, compared with those in P1 treatment. Under DT condition, the grain weight and grouting rate in P3 treatment were higher than those of P1 treatment at 7-28 DPA, and the 1000-grain weight of P3 was the highest under both WT and DT conditions, reaching 47.03 and 40.57 g, respectively. Under WT and DT conditions, compared with P1 treatment, the protein content change rate (3.16 % and 5.59 %, respectively) and the total phosphorus content change rate (34.36% and 35.08 %, respectively) of wheat grains in P3 treatment were the highest. In summary, under the DT condition, split application of phosphorus fertilizer (P3, spring green-up stage stage: jointing stage: filling stage = 4: 3: 3) could increase the phosphorus uptake and utilization of wheat plants and grains, suppress the DNA fragmentation of endosperm cells, and delay the deformation and disintegration of nuclei, which ultimately delayed the PCD in endosperm and realized high grain weight and protein content.

The rhizosheath, the layer of soil tightly attached to the roots, protects plants against abiotic stress and other adverse conditions by providing a bridge from the plant root system to the soil. It reduces the formation of air gaps between the root and soil and facilitates the transportation of water at the root–soil interface. It also serves as a favourable niche for plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria in the surrounding soil, which facilitate the absorption of soil water and nutrients. This review compares the difference between the rhizosheath and rhizosphere, and summarises the molecular and physiological mechanisms of rhizosheath formation, and identifying the causes of rhizosheath formation/non-formation in plants. We summarise the chemical and physical factors (root hair, soil-related factors, root exudates, and microorganisms) that determine rhizosheath formation, and focus on the important functions of the rhizosheath in plants under abiotic stress, especially in drought stress, phosphorus deficiency, aluminium stress, and salinity stress. Understanding the roles played by the rhizosheath and the mechanisms of its formation provides new perspectives for improving plant stress tolerance in the field, which will mitigate the increasing environmental stress conditions associated with on-going global climate change.

Acetobacter pasteurianus is always used to brew vinegar because of its ability of producing and tolerating a high concentration of acetic acid. During vinegar fermentation, initial acetic acid contributes to acetic acid accumulation, which varies with initial concentrations. In this study, to investigate the mechanisms of tolerating and producing acetic acid of Acetobacter pasteurianus under different concentrations of substrate acetic acid, four-dimensional label-free proteomic technology has been used to analyze the protein profiles of Acetobacter pasteurianus at different growth stages (the lag and exponential phases) and different substrate acetic acid concentrations (0%, 3%, and 6%). A total of 2093 proteins were quantified in this study. The differentially expressed proteins were majorly involved in gene ontology terms of metabolic processes, cellular metabolic processes, and substance binding. Under acetic acid stress, strains might attenuate the toxicity of acetic acid by intensifying fatty acid metabolism, weakening the tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycerophospholipid and energy metabolism during the lag phase, while strains might promote the assimilation of acetic acid and inter-conversion of substances during the exponential phase by enhancing the tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycolysis, pyruvate, and energy metabolism to produce and tolerate acid. Besides, cell cycle regulation and protein translation might be potential acid tolerance pathways under high acid stress. The result contributes to the exploration of new potential acid tolerance mechanisms in Acetobacter pasteurianus from four-dimensional label-free relative quantitative proteomics analysis.

为丰富磷高效小麦遗传资源,分析了小麦纤维素相关基因突变体(ZC5 和 ZC7,为郑麦 9023 经EMS诱导的脆杆小麦)及其野生型(小麦品种郑麦 9023)在三种磷素水平下(0、105、210 kg·hm-2)、不同发育时期的相关生理指标和成熟期农艺和品质性状.结果表明,基因型、磷水平和基因型与磷水平互作均对旗叶叶面积、旗叶 SPAD值和籽粒淀粉含量有一定影响,影响程度因生育时期而异.不同处理小麦灌浆过程符合Logistic生长规律,籽粒干物质积累均呈"慢-快-慢"的变化趋势.基因型和磷水平均对成熟期籽粒蛋白质含量和全磷含量有极显著影响;基因型对成熟期株高、有效小穗数、穗粒数及千粒重有极显著影响.相关分析表明,籽粒渐增期灌浆速率和干物质积累量、快增期干物质积累量和旗叶 SPAD值均与千粒重呈极显著正相关,籽粒渐增期、快增期持续时间和淀粉含量均与千粒重呈显著正相关.ZC5 为磷敏感材料,施磷能提前ZC5 最大灌浆速率出现日期,提高其最大灌浆速率和平均灌浆速率,且随着施磷量的增加籽粒蛋白质和全磷含量增加.纤维素合成相关基因突变对旗叶 SPAD值、叶面积、籽粒淀粉含量、蛋白质含量、全磷含量、株高、有效小穗数、穗粒数和千粒重均存在显著影响.通过化学诱变改良小麦细胞壁成分可为小麦育种提供丰富的遗传资源.

Wheat is very sensitive to drought stress, especially during the grain filling stage. The aim of this study was to investigate the response of starch and sugar metabolism to drought stress during the critical period of wheat grain filling. In this study, Logistic regression analysis was used to simulate the grain filling rate of two elite wheat varieties under two water treatments. It was found that the early period of grain-filling was mostly affected by drought stress through testing the sucrose and soluble sugar contents, sucrose synthase activity, starch content and its fractions, and the activity of key starch synthases of endosperm under two water treatments at 7 and 14 DPA (days post anthesis). Meanwhile, the differential expressed proteins (DEPs) of endosperm between two water treatments were identified by the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) quantitative proteomics technology. The results showed that the soluble sugar contents and sucrose synthase (SS) activity in the endosperm of both cultivars were significantly increased under drought stress. Under drought treatment, the sucrose content and total starch firstly decreased and then increased compared with their respective controls. The variety (Xindong 18) with strong drought resistance was conducive to the accumulation of amylose during early grain development. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that most of the DEPs were involved in carbohydrate metabolism, while the largest proportion of DEPs involved in carbohydrate metabolism was related to the metabolism of starch and sugar. Importantly, the expression levels of DEPs involved in starch biosynthesis and degradation were upregulated in response to drought stress. Drought stress during the early stage of grain-filling stimulated wheat to shift the focus of life activities to energy and material accumulation, which improves the organismal ability to resist drought. This study provides novel insights on the mechanisms of starch and sugar metabolism regulate drought tolerance in wheat during early endosperm development.

Programmed cell death (PCD) is an important physiological activity of plants in adapting to the external environment and maintaining metabolism. However, the mechanism of hormone regulating PCD and nutrient accumulation in endosperm cells during wheat growth needs to explore more research. In this study, the hormone regulation of PCD in wheat endosperm and grain filling under post-anthesis drought stress was studied through spraying ethylene synthesis inhibitor cobalt nitrate (CN) and abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis inhibitor fluridone (FU). The results showed that CN treatment reduced the content of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) (23.6%) and DNA hydrolase activity (6.1%), while increased the viability of endosperm cells, the maximum number (7.1%) and DNA content (5.4%) of endosperm nuclei. Besides, it also up-regulated the expression of ethylene receptor and dad1 , delayed the change of nuclear shape, and prolonged the duration of high-filling-rate period (12.1%), leading to increased grain weight (6.4%). However, FU treatment reduced the content of ABA (12.3%), the maximum number (5.1%), and DNA content (7.3%) of endosperm nuclei. Besides, it also down-regulated the expression of ethylene receptor and dad1 , increased ACC content (15.6%) and DNA hydrolase activity (15.6%), accelerated the change of nuclear morphology, and shortened the effective filling period (8.1%), leading to reduced grain weight (8%). This study explored the role of plant hormone regulation in wheat and urge for more for sustainable agriculture.

\u3010Objective\u3011<\/strong>This study was conducted to explore the adaptive mechanism of wheat plants to drought stress under two kinds of phosphorus supply conditions and its response after rehydration, so as to provide more information for revealing the interaction mechanism of water and phosphorus and breeding the wheat varieties with stress resistance and high phosphorus efficiency.<\/p><\/sec>\u3010Method\u3011<\/strong>The wheat cult

Drought stress had a great effect on endogenous hormone in wheat, while endogenous hormone profoundly affects the programmed cell death of endosperm and grain filling. The objectives of this study were (i) to investigate the effect of ethylene and abscisic acid on programmed cell death (PCD) in wheat endosperm cells under post-anthesis drought and (ii) to examine the role of ethylene and abscisic acid in regulating grain filling under post-anthesis drought. The wheat plants were spray solvent (CK), cobalt nitrate (CN) and fluoxone (FU), respectively, under drought stress post anthesis. The samples were then compared with respect to cell viability, nuclear morphometry, cell ultrastructure, DNA integrity, DNA content, DNA hydrolase activity, ABA content, ACC content, grain weight and grain filling rate. Analysis was also conducted about gene transcripts related to PCD and ETH receptors. The results showed that under CN treatment, endosperm PCD was delayed, the duration of high grouting rate was prolonged, and the grain weight was increased, in contrast, the opposite result was obtained under FU treatment.

Phosphorus stress and drought stress are common abiotic stresses for wheat. In this study, two winter wheat varieties “Xindong20” and “Xindong23” were cultured in a hydroponic system using Hoagland nutrient solution and treated with drought stress under conventional (CP: 1.0 mmol/L) and low (LP: 0.05 mmol/L) phosphorus levels. Under drought stress, the root growth was better under LP than under CP. Under LP, root phosphorus content was increased by 94.2% in Xindong20 and decreased by 48.9% in Xindong23 at 3 d after re-watering, compared with those at 0 d under drought stress. However, the potassium (K) content was the highest among the four elements studied and the phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) content were reduced in the root of the two varieties. Under CP, the zinc (Zn) content was higher than that under LP in Xindong23. The GeneChip analysis showed that a total of 4,577 and 202 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected from the roots of Xindong20 and Xindong23, respectively. Among them, 89.9% of DEGs were involved in organelles and vesicles in Xindong20, and 69.8% were involved in root anatomical structure, respiratory chain, electron transport chain, ion transport, and enzyme activity in Xindong23. Overall, LP was superior to CP in mitigating drought stress on wheat, and the regulatory genes were also different in the two varieties. Xindong20 had higher drought tolerance for more up-regulated genes involved in the responses compared to Xindong23.

为筛选磷高效的小麦品种,采用双向平均作图法和GGE双标图法对21份供试小麦品种的株高、穗长和穗粒数等农艺性状以及产量指标进行综合评价.结果表明,新冬52号和石冬03112小麦为磷高效型品种,新冬49号为磷低效型品种.新冬20号、新冬48号和新冬26号3个小麦品种在不同的磷处理下对磷元素的吸收和利用能力存在差异.该试验结果可为快速规模化筛选磷高效小麦品种提供借鉴,并可为进一步研究磷高效小麦品种的基因调控机制提供材料.

Background Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) is the main food crop in the worldwide. Low soil phosphorus levels and drought conditions are important constraints for wheat production in most of the areas where wheat is grown. In this study, the analysis of mineral elements and metabolites were used to investigate the ionomic and metabolic responses to drought stress of wheat plants cultured by low phosphorus (LP) and conventional phosphorus (CP) supply, respectively. Results We found that the wheat plants subjected to LP treatment had denser roots, and the total root volume was significantly higher than that under the CP treatment. The roots cultured by two phosphorus levels underwent the process of programmed cell death under drought stress, however, the genomic DNA degradation level of the roots in LP was significantly weaker than that in CP after rehydration for 3d. The analysis of mineral elements and metabolites showed that CP treatment was more sensitive to drought stress, and drought stress had more influence on the shoots of CP treatment than the roots. While the effect of drought stress on LP treatment roots were greater than that on shoots. With the extension of drought stress, the effect on sugar metabolism was greater. Conclusions The wheat plants under LP treatment was more adaptive to drought stress than that in CP treatment, which probably is based on the presence of the comprehensive mobilization of sugar metabolism responsible for the regulation of osmotic balance, as well as the accumulation of various organic acids responsible for the maintenance of the intracellular ion homeostasis.

Phosphorus-stress and drought-stress are common abiotic stresses for wheat.This study constructed physiological of wheat seedling roots using two winter wheat with contrasting drought tolerance and phosphorus utilization efficiency. They were treated with drought stress under conventional–phosphorus level (CP: 1.0 mmol/L) and low-phosphorus levels (LP: 0.05 mmol /L), respectively. Then they were used for physiological detection after 0、3、5 and 7 days of drought and after-rewatering 3days. The objective of the present study was to increase the information about the effect of drought on the physicochemical characteristics of wheat root cultured by two phosphorus levels.