Nitrogen Economy Strategies Define Distinct Functional Groups of Genotypes in a <i>Miscanthus sinensis</i> Progeny

ABSTRACT Understanding nitrogen‐use strategies in Miscanthus sinensis is essential for optimizing biomass production while minimizing environmental impact, and providing sustainable bioenergy and ecosystem services. Nitrogen recycling in M. sinensis is known to be efficient, but the extent of intra‐specific variability and its translation into distinct functional strategies remain unknown to date. Our objective was to assess the intergenotypic variation in nitrogen uptake and recycling and their relation to biomass yield in a diploid M. sinensis progeny. Endogenous remobilization fluxes were calculated for 80 genotypes from seasonal nitrogen dynamics under nitrogen deficient conditions, showing substantial intergenotypic variation, ranging from 0.2 to 85 kg N ha −1 in spring and 5 to 158 kg N ha −1 in autumn. Recycling efficiency, defined as the remobilized nitrogen relative to maximum nitrogen quantity, did not correlate with biomass yield, indicating that nitrogen recycling was independent of plant size. Exogenous nitrogen uptake varied widely (5–241 kg N ha −1 ) and was strongly correlated with biomass yield ( r = 0.72), making it the dominant factor influencing productivity, while principal component analysis highlighted the contribution of nitrogen recycling traits. Three functional groups emerged from hierarchical clustering on the principal components. The first group comprised nitrogen‐acquisitive genotypes with high uptake and productivity, suitable for low‐input bioenergy systems and potential ecosystem services like nitrate removal in water catchment areas. The second group followed a conservative strategy, with efficient belowground nitrogen storage and endogenous recycling, supporting resilience to environmental stress. The third group comprised nitrogen‐deficient genotypes with low uptake, remobilization, and productivity. These findings demonstrate that substantial variation in nitrogen economy traits defined distinct functional groups in M. sinensis , providing a framework for breeding ideotypes that sustain biomass under nitrogen‐limited conditions through enhanced uptake or remobilization, while delivering ecosystem services through contrasting remobilization strategies that can support nutrient retention, soil nitrogen conservation, and water quality regulation.