{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,15]],"date-time":"2025-08-15T00:17:52Z","timestamp":1755217072596,"version":"3.43.0"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,5]],"date-time":"2025-08-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1754352000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Plant Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>Phosphorus is vital for plant growth but is often limited in subtropical acidic soils, restricting forest productivity. <jats:italic>Pinus massoniana<\/jats:italic>, a key timber and resin species in China, shows varied shoot-sprouting characteristics and nutrient use under different phosphorus levels. Understanding its response to fertilization is crucial for optimizing plantation management and growth.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>We employed a two-factor randomized block design with three <jats:italic>Pinus massoniana<\/jats:italic> hybrid varieties (with shared male or female parents) and four phosphate fertilizer levels (0, 100, 250, 500 g\u00b7plant\u207b\u00b9). After three growing seasons, tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH), annual shoot growth characteristics (fixed growth, free growth, shoot number), and growth amount were measured. Nitrogen and phosphorus contents in coniferous leaves were also analyzed.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Results showed significant differences in tree height, DBH, and fixed growth among varieties and fertilizer treatments. The 500 g\u00b7plant\u207b\u00b9 treatment performed best, with fixed growth 14.35% higher than the control. Free growth and shoot flushing frequency showed no significant differences among treatments. The interaction between variety and fertilization contributed 74.10% to free growth variation. Phosphorus fertilization enhanced growth and nutrient uptake in young <jats:italic>Pinus massoniana<\/jats:italic> saplings. Increasing fertilizer intensity raised nitrogen and phosphorus contents and the nitrogen-phosphorus ratio. Correlation analysis revealed that the nutrient environment influences genetic expression among traits, affecting their interrelationships.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study examines how genotype, phosphate fertilizer intensity, and their interaction influence the growth and shoot-sprouting behavior of <jats:italic>Pinus massoniana<\/jats:italic> hybrids. Phosphate fertilization is a key driver of early growth and nutrient accumulation, while shoot-sprouting is largely shaped by variety-fertilizer interactions. Findings highlight the need to focus less on the genetic basis of shoot growth and more on how nutrient availability influences variety performance, supporting precise fertilization strategies for optimized forest management.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2025.1606643","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,5]],"date-time":"2025-08-05T05:25:15Z","timestamp":1754371515000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Effects of phosphorus supply levels on the growth and nutrient utilization of Pinus massoniana lamb hybrid saplings"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Wenyue","family":"Wang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jinguo","family":"Hua","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Zhen","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Zhichun","family":"Zhou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Renchao","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Simin","family":"Qu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xiuli","family":"Chu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1388","DOI":"10.1002\/ecy.1793","article-title":"Plasticity in nitrogen uptake among plant species with contrasting nutrient acquisition strategies in a tropical forest","volume":"98","author":"Andersen","year":"2017","journal-title":"Ecology"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.53550\/eec.2022.v28i01.011","article-title":"Effect of pinus halepensis reforestation on soil fertilityin the forest of benisohane (ribat al kheir region -Morocco)","volume":"28","author":"Benarchid","year":"2022","journal-title":"Ecology Environ. Conserv."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"162","DOI":"10.1007\/s10681-018-2241-0","article-title":"Improving oil quality by altering levels of fatty acids through marker-assisted selection of ahfad2 alleles in peanut (arachis hypogaea L.)","volume":"214","author":"Bera","year":"2018","journal-title":"Euphytica"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1017\/s0021859600021572","article-title":"Determination of nitrogen in soil by the kjeldahl method","volume":"55","author":"Bremner","year":"1960","journal-title":"J. Agric. Sci."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cj.2016.03.004","article-title":"Metabolite variation in hybrid corn grain from a large-scale multisite study","volume":"4","author":"Chen","year":"2016","journal-title":"Crop J."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"977","DOI":"10.1104\/pp.92.4.977","article-title":"Increases in phosphorus requirements for Co2-enriched pine species","volume":"92","author":"Conroy","year":"1990","journal-title":"Plant Physiol."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"643","DOI":"10.1093\/forestscience\/32.3.643","article-title":"Effect of family and nitrogen-fertilizer on growth and foliar nutrients of douglas-fir saplings","volume":"32","author":"Debell","year":"1986","journal-title":"For. Science."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1764","DOI":"10.1111\/tpj.16511","article-title":"Recent advances in unraveling the mystery of combined nutrient stress in plants","volume":"117","author":"DeLoose","year":"2024","journal-title":"Plant J."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"385","DOI":"10.1590\/S0100-67622013000300001","article-title":"Early growth and nutrition of cedar (Cedrela fissilis Vell.) as affected by nitrogen rates","volume":"37","author":"Freiberger","year":"2013","journal-title":"Rev. \u00c1rvore."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"749","DOI":"10.4236\/ajps.2013.43A094","article-title":"Lichen-spruce woodland early indicators of ecological resilience following silvicultural disturbances in qu\u00e9bec\u2019s closed-crown forest zone","volume":"4","author":"Gonzalez","year":"2013","journal-title":"Am. J. Plant Sci."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2023.1139945","article-title":"Nitrogen and phosphorous dynamics with stand development of pinus massoniana plantations in southeast China","volume":"14","author":"Guo","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front. Plant Sci."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/f14030607","article-title":"Patterns of needle nutrient resorption and ecological stoichiometry homeostasis along a chronosequence of pinus massoniana plantations","volume":"14","author":"Guo","year":"2023","journal-title":"Forests."},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1207","DOI":"10.1093\/jxb\/erx454","article-title":"Buffered delivery of phosphate to Arabidopsis alters responses to low phosphate","volume":"69","author":"Hanlon","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Exp. Bot."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1093\/jhered\/esx098","article-title":"Influence of range position on locally adaptive gene-environment associations in populus flowering time genes","volume":"109","author":"Keller","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Heredity."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.18698\/2542-1468-2021-4-15-20","article-title":"Comparative analysis of scots pine homogeneous stands bioenergetic productivity in European north","volume":"25","author":"Klevtsov","year":"2021","journal-title":"Forestry Bulletin."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2023.166395","article-title":"Leaf phosphorus allocation to chemical fractions and its seasonal variation in south-western Australia is a species-dependent trait","volume":"901","author":"Liu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environment."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/agronomy14061141","article-title":"Multifaceted ability of organic fertilizers to improve crop productivity and abiotic stress tolerance: review and perspectives","volume":"14","author":"Liu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Agronomy."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2021.763175","article-title":"Mixture compound fertilizer and super absorbent polymer application significantly promoted growth and increased nutrient levels in pinus massoniana seedlings and soil in seriously eroded degradation region of southern China","volume":"12","author":"Mao","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. Plant Science."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1354","DOI":"10.1007\/s00344-019-09938-5","article-title":"Characterization of top leader elongation in nordmann fir (abies nordmanniana)","volume":"38","author":"Martens","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Plant Growth Regulation."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.1093\/jof\/101.3.32","article-title":"Deployment of Genetically Improved Loblolly and Slash Pines in the South","volume":"101","author":"McKeand","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. For."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-8137.1988.tb00213.x","article-title":"Dry-matter, phosphorus and nitrogen partitioning in 3 eucalyptus species grown under a nutrient deficit","volume":"109","author":"Mulligan","year":"1988","journal-title":"New Phytologist."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"662","DOI":"10.3724\/SP.J.1145.2014.07005","article-title":"Effect of soluble phosphorus microbial mixed fertilizers on phosphorus nutrient and phosphorus adsorption-desorption characteristics in calcareous cinnamon soil","volume":"20","author":"Na","year":"2014","journal-title":"Chin. J. Appl. Environ. Biol."},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7213","DOI":"10.1007\/s00253-020-10761-2","article-title":"Successive mineral nitrogen or phosphorus fertilization alone significantly altered bacterial community rather than bacterial biomass in plantation soil","volume":"104","author":"Niu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol."},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"286","DOI":"10.17521\/cjpe.2020.0241","article-title":"Mechanism of the trade-off between biological nitrogen fixation and phosphorus acquisition strategies of herbaceous legumes under nitrogen and phosphorus addition","volume":"45","author":"Qiang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Chin. J. Plant Ecol."},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1781","DOI":"10.1007\/s11676-022-01472-7","article-title":"Variability in the climate-radial growth correlation of pinus massoniana of different diameter classes","volume":"33","author":"Qiao","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Forestry Res."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1438-8677.2009.00241.x","article-title":"Nitrogen balance in forest soils: nutritional limitation of plants under climate change stresses","volume":"11","author":"Rennenberg","year":"2009","journal-title":"Plant Biol."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"539","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1469-8137.1999.00482.x","article-title":"Acquisition and allocation of resources in two waterlogging-tolerant grasses","volume":"143","author":"Rubio","year":"1999","journal-title":"New Phytologist."},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/ffgc.2024.1370934","article-title":"Growth responses to elevated environmental humidity vary between phenological forms of picea abies","volume":"7","author":"Sellin","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front. Forests Global Change"},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"362","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foreco.2010.10.018","article-title":"Growth and stem quality responses to fertilizer application by 21 loblolly pine clones in the virginia piedmont","volume":"261","author":"Stovall","year":"2011","journal-title":"For. Ecol. Management."},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1122","DOI":"10.1111\/nph.18588","article-title":"Phosphorus fractions in leaves","volume":"237","author":"Suriyagoda","year":"2023","journal-title":"New Phytologist."},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5023","DOI":"10.1093\/jxb\/eru284","article-title":"Phosphate depletion modulates auxin transport in triticum aestivum leading to altered root branching","volume":"65","author":"Talboys","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Exp. Botany."},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"817","DOI":"10.1007\/s11104-024-06661-3","article-title":"Phosphorus limitation of pinus massoniana reforestation increases with stand development: Evidence from plant, leaf litter, and soil","volume":"504","author":"Tie","year":"2024","journal-title":"Plant Soil."},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"698","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2745.2008.01384.x","article-title":"Resource partitioning for soil phosphorus: a hypothesis","volume":"96","author":"Turner","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Ecology."},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/su10061874","article-title":"Effects of forest restoration on soil carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and their stoichiometry in Hunan, southern China","volume":"10","author":"Xu","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sustainability."},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11104-024-07197-2","article-title":"Evolutionary history of mixed tree species improved soil nutrient content of pinus massoniana plantation","volume":"21","author":"Yang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Plant Soil"},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/agriculture13040884","article-title":"Proper delay of phosphorus application promotes wheat growth and nutrient uptake under low phosphorus condition","volume":"13","author":"Yi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Agriculture."},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4653","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-020-61597-9","article-title":"Joint influence of genetic origin and climate on the growth of masson pine (pinus massoniana lamb.) in China","volume":"10","author":"Zhang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1234","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsos.2025.03.021","article-title":"Effects of exogenous phosphorus compounds interact with nitrogen addition on soil organic phosphorus fractions in a meadow steppe","volume":"27","author":"Zhang","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Soils Sediments."},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.2478\/sg-2019-0001","article-title":"Forward, backward selection and variation analysis of growth traits in half-sib larix kaempferi families","volume":"68","author":"Zhao","year":"2019","journal-title":"Silvae Genetica."},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"173","DOI":"10.1007\/s10681-015-1617-7","article-title":"Variance and stability analyses of growth characters in half-sib Betula platyphylla families at three different sites in China","volume":"208","author":"Zhao","year":"2016","journal-title":"Euphytica."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Plant Science"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpls.2025.1606643\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,5]],"date-time":"2025-08-05T05:25:16Z","timestamp":1754371516000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpls.2025.1606643\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,5]]},"references-count":40,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpls.2025.1606643"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpls.2025.1606643","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-462X"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"1664-462X"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,5]]},"article-number":"1606643"}}