Abstract:

Potassium (K⁺) is one of the essential macronutrients for plant growth and development. However, K⁺ content in soils is usually limited so that the crop yields are restricted. Plants may adapt to K⁺-deficient environment by adjusting their physiological and morphological status, indicating that plants may have evolved their sensing and signaling mechanisms in response to K⁺-deficiency. This short review particularly discusses some components as possible sensors or signal transducers involved in plant sensing and signaling in response to K⁺-deficiency, such as K⁺ channels and transporters, H⁺-ATPase, some cytoplasmic enzymes, etc. Possible involvement of Ca²⁺ and ROS signals in plant responses to K⁺-deficiency is also discussed.