Dr. Yi-Fang Tsay revealed for the first time how plant sense the abundance of the nutrients in the soil

The nutrients in the soil affect plant growth, but how do plants know the amount of nutrients available in the soil? In 2009, Dr. Tsay’s research team finally solved the mystery and discovered that the transporter CHL1, responsible for nitrate uptake, can also act as a sensor, like a human tongue, helping plants detect the amount of nitrate in the soil, and then induce appropriate responses.