A natural uORF variant confers phosphorus acquisition diversity in soybean

Phosphorus (P) is an essential element for all organisms. Because P fertilizers are a non-renewable resource and high fixation in soils, sustainable agriculture requires researchers to improve crop P acquisition efficiency. Here, we report a strong association signal at a locus of CPU1 ( component of phosphorus uptake 1 ), from a genome-wide association study of P acquisition efficiency in a soybean core collection grown in the field. A SEC12-like gene, GmPHF1 , is identified as the causal gene for CPU1 . GmPHF1 facilitates the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) exit of the phosphate transporter, GmPT4, to the plasma membrane of root epidermal cells. A common SNP in an upstream open reading frame (uORF) of GmPHF1 , which alters the abundance of GmPHF1 in a tissue-specific manner, contributes to P acquisition diversity in soybean. A natural genetic variation conditions diversity in soybean P acquisition, which can be used to develop P-efficient soybean genotypes.