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Article

Screening and a Comprehensive Evaluation of Pinus elliottii with a High Efficiency of Phosphorus Utilization

1
Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Regional Plant Genetic & Germplasm Enhancement (CTGU), Biotechnology Research Center, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
2
State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding of Zhejiang Province, Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou 311400, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Forests 2025, 16(8), 1291; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16081291 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 27 June 2025 / Revised: 26 July 2025 / Accepted: 6 August 2025 / Published: 7 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Forest Ecophysiology and Biology)

Abstract

To investigate the responses and mechanisms of slash pine under low orthophosphate (Pi) stress and to identify Pi-efficient lines, we analyzed 12 indices related to biomass, root traits, and tissue Pi concentration across 13 slash pine lines subjected to varying Pi treatments. The composite assessment value of low-phosphorus tolerance (D) was calculated by evaluating these 12 response indicators through principal component analysis, in conjunction with the fuzzy membership function method. Nine low-phosphorus tolerance factors (LPTFs)—including above-ground fresh weight (0.69), below-ground fresh weight (0.52), total root length (0.56), root surface area (0.63), root volume (0.67), above-ground Pi concentration (0.78), below-ground Pi concentration (0.52), bioconcentration factor (0.77), and P utilization efficiency (−0.76)—showed significant correlations with D (p < 0.05). Utilizing these nine LPTFs, cluster analysis classified the 13 lines into the following three groups according to their low-phosphorus (P) tolerance: high-P-efficient, medium-P-efficient, and low-P-efficient lines. Under low Pi and Pi-deficiency treatments, line 27 was identified as a high-P-efficient line, while lines 1, 6, and 9 were classified as low-P-efficient lines. Notably, eight genes (SPX1, SPX3, SPX4, PHT1;1, PAP23, SQD1, SQD2, NPC4) and five genes (SPX1, SPX3, SPX4, PAP23, SQD1) were significantly up-regulated in the roots and leaves of both line 27 and line 9 under low-phosphorus stress, respectively. However, the high-P-efficient line 27 exhibited a stronger regulatory capacity with a higher expression of two genes (SPX4, SQD2) in the roots and nine genes (SPX1, SPX3, SPX4, PHT1;1, PAP10, PAP23, SQD1, SQD2, NPC4) in the leaves under low Pi stress. These findings reveal differential responses to low Pi stress among slash pine lines, with line 27 displaying superior low-P tolerance, enabling better adaptation to low Pi environments and the maintenance of normal growth, development, and physiological activities.
Keywords: Pinus elliottii; line selection; low-phosphorus tolerance; phosphorus utilization efficiency Pinus elliottii; line selection; low-phosphorus tolerance; phosphorus utilization efficiency

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MDPI and ACS Style

Liu, H.; He, Z.; Yang, Y.; Zhao, Y.; Chen, H.; Chen, S.; Wu, S.; Luan, Q.; Zhuo, R.; Han, X. Screening and a Comprehensive Evaluation of Pinus elliottii with a High Efficiency of Phosphorus Utilization. Forests 2025, 16, 1291. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16081291

AMA Style

Liu H, He Z, Yang Y, Zhao Y, Chen H, Chen S, Wu S, Luan Q, Zhuo R, Han X. Screening and a Comprehensive Evaluation of Pinus elliottii with a High Efficiency of Phosphorus Utilization. Forests. 2025; 16(8):1291. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16081291

Chicago/Turabian Style

Liu, Huan, Zhengquan He, Yuying Yang, Yazhi Zhao, Huiling Chen, Shuxin Chen, Shaoze Wu, Qifu Luan, Renying Zhuo, and Xiaojiao Han. 2025. "Screening and a Comprehensive Evaluation of Pinus elliottii with a High Efficiency of Phosphorus Utilization" Forests 16, no. 8: 1291. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16081291

APA Style

Liu, H., He, Z., Yang, Y., Zhao, Y., Chen, H., Chen, S., Wu, S., Luan, Q., Zhuo, R., & Han, X. (2025). Screening and a Comprehensive Evaluation of Pinus elliottii with a High Efficiency of Phosphorus Utilization. Forests, 16(8), 1291. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16081291

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