Divergent regulation of seed mass on roots and leaves in legume plants

doi:10.1093/jpe/rtag103

J Plant Ecol ›› Advance articles DOI:10.1093/jpe/rtag103

Divergent regulation of seed mass on roots and leaves in legume plants

Hanyu Yao¹, Zihao Li¹, Wenxin Liu¹, Binglin Guo¹, Zhenjiang Li¹, Zhipei Feng¹, Huifang Wu¹, Guanqin Wang¹, Qiang Li¹, Deliang Kong^1,2,3*, Qingpei Yang^1,4*

1 College of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450002, China;
2 State Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Production of Wheat-Maize Cropping, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450046, China;
3 Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Crop Synthetic Biology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450046, China;
4 College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450002, China;
^*Corresponding author. Email: deliangkong1999@126.com for Deliang Kong and yangqingpei1992@126.com for Qingpei Yang

Received:2026-03-01 Revised:2026-04-14 Accepted:2026-04-30 Published:2026-05-18
Supported by:
This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32471824, 32171746), the leading talents of basic research in Henan Province (24XM0375), Excellent Youth Creative Research Group Project in Henan Province (252300421002), Foreign Scientists Studio in Henan Province (GZS2025011), MOHRSS National Foreign Expert Individual Projects (110000264820258001) and Natural Science Foundation of Henan (242300420604). Zhipei Feng acknowledges the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2021M690922).

豆科植物种子重量对根、叶性状的差异性调控

Abstract

Abstract: Seed mass is a key trait influencing plant form and function. It reflects parental resource investment and influences seedling growth as well as the construction of root and leaf organs. However, how seed mass regulates root and leaf functional traits in legume species remains unclear. In this study, we selected 16 common herbaceous legume species growing in pots. The results showed that seed mass exhibited a U-shaped quadratic relationship with both fine root diameter and fine root biomass. Seed mass was significantly positively correlated with single leaf area, specific leaf area, and stomatal length. However, it showed no significant correlation with leaf nitrogen concentration, leaf vein traits, or stomatal density. Meanwhile, the relationships between seed and root traits and between seed and leaf traits in these legume species were markedly different from those reported for global non-nitrogen-fixing plants. In summary, seed mass may selectively regulate certain root and leaf traits. These findings provide a new perspective for understanding the formation of life history strategies in legumes and their responses and adaptations to environmental change.

Key words: seed size, fine root, plant functional traits, leaf traits, herbaceous legume species CCEPTED MANUSCRIPT

摘要：
种子质量是植物生活史的一个关键性状，反映了亲代资源投入，影响幼苗生长与根、叶器官构建。然而，豆科植物的种子质量如何调控根、叶功能性状尚不明确。本研究以16种常见的草本豆科植物为对象，通过盆栽实验发现：种子质量与细根直径和细根生物量均呈现U形二次函数关系。种子质量与单叶面积、比叶面积及气孔长度显著正相关，但与叶氮浓度、叶脉性状及气孔密度无显著关联。同时，这些豆科植物的种子-根、种子-叶性状协同关系，与全球尺度的非固氮植物有显著不同。综上，种子质量可能选择性调控部分根、叶性状，这对于我们认识豆科植物生活史策略的形成，以及对环境变化的响应和适应提供了新的视角。

关键词: 种子质量, 细根, 植物功能性状, 叶性状, 草本豆科

Hanyu Yao, Zihao Li, Wenxin Liu, Binglin Guo, Zhenjiang Li, Zhipei Feng, Huifang Wu, Guanqin Wang, Qiang Li, Deliang Kong, Qingpei Yang. Divergent regulation of seed mass on roots and leaves in legume plants[J]. J Plant Ecol, DOI: 10.1093/jpe/rtag103.

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