Ubiquitin signalling redefines nutrient trade-offs in crops.

Changing nutrient availability is associated with growth trade-offs in crops. Recent studies in rice and maize reveal that such constraints can be uncoupled by modifying ubiquitin-dependent proteostatic systems that integrate nutrient and stress signalling pathways. This challenges the inevitability of trade-offs and highlights new strategies for breeding nutrient-efficient, stress-resilient crops.