Arabidopsis seedlings respond differentially to nutrient efficacy of three rock meals by regulating root architecture and endogenous auxin homeostasis

BACKGROUND: Plants show developmental plasticity with variations in environmental nutrients. Considering low-cost rock dust has been identified as a potential alternative to artificial fertilizers for more sustainable agriculture, the growth responses of Arabidopsis seedlings on three rock meals (basalt, granite, and marlstone) were examined for the different foraging behavior, biomass accumulation, and root architecture. RESULTS: Compared to ½ MS medium, basalt and granite meal increased primary root length by 13% and 38%, respectively, but marlstone caused a 66% decrease, and they all drastically reduced initiation and elongation of lateral roots but lengthened root hairs. Simultaneous supply of organic nutrients and trace elements increased fresh weight due to the increased length of primary roots and root hairs. When nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) were supplied individually, N proved most effective in improving fresh weight of seedlings growing on basalt and granite, whereas K, followed by P, was most effective for those growing on marlstone. Unexpectedly, the addition of N to marlstone negatively affected seedling growth, which was associated with repressed auxin biosynthesis in roots. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that plants can recognize and adapt to complex mineral deficiency by adjusting hormonal homeostasis to achieve environmental sensitivity and developmental plasticity, which provide a basis for ecologically sound and sustainable strategies to maximize the use of natural resources and reduce the production of artificial fertilizers. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12870-023-04612-1.