Nitrogen enhances post-drought recovery in wheat by modulating TaSnRK2.10-mediated regulation of TaNLP7.

Drought stress affects plant growth and agricultural production, especially in the context of global climate change. Post-drought rehydration is crucial for plant recovery and sustained growth, yet the mechanisms underlying this process remain poorly understood. Nitrogen fertilizer plays a role in optimizing plant growth and enhancing stress resistance, but its role in post-drought recovery has not been fully elucidated. Here we demonstrate that nitrogen enhances post-drought recovery in wheat by modulating TaSnRK2.10-mediated regulation of TaNLP7. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that nitrogen supplementation increased the positive effects of rewatering on gene expression. Nitrogen inhibits the activity of TaSnRK2.10, a kinase involved in abscisic acid signalling. TaSnRK2.10 interacts with and phosphorylates TaNLP7-3A, a master regulator of the nitrate signalling pathway, reducing its nuclear localization and stability. This phosphorylation event suppresses genes involved in nitrate response, inhibiting nitrate-induced growth. Analysis of the nitrogen response levels in a wheat natural population revealed that transcriptional levels of the two haplotypes of TaSnRK2.10-4A respond differently to abscisic acid and nitrate, providing insights into the selection of wheat varieties that may be better suited for different environmental conditions to optimize yield.