Phosphate (Pi) is a critical but often limited nutrient for plants, particularly in the rhizosphere. The article by K. G. Raghothama and A. S. Karthikeyan discusses the mechanisms by which plants adapt to phosphate-limited conditions. Plants enhance their ability to acquire Pi through the transcriptional regulation of high-affinity phosphate transporters, which are encoded by a small number of genes with tissue-specific expression patterns. These transporters are strongly induced during phosphate deficiency, improving Pi uptake and utilization efficiency. Additionally, plants activate biochemical mechanisms to increase Pi acquisition from both inorganic and organic sources in the soil. Altered root morphology and mycorrhizal symbiosis further enhance Pi acquisition. The responses to phosphate deficiency are coordinated by changes in cellular Pi levels, involving the activation or inactivation of numerous genes. The review also highlights the importance of Pi availability in determining crop productivity, the highly regulated nature of Pi uptake, and the role of transporters in maintaining cellular Pi homeostasis.Phosphate (Pi) is a critical but often limited nutrient for plants, particularly in the rhizosphere. The article by K. G. Raghothama and A. S. Karthikeyan discusses the mechanisms by which plants adapt to phosphate-limited conditions. Plants enhance their ability to acquire Pi through the transcriptional regulation of high-affinity phosphate transporters, which are encoded by a small number of genes with tissue-specific expression patterns. These transporters are strongly induced during phosphate deficiency, improving Pi uptake and utilization efficiency. Additionally, plants activate biochemical mechanisms to increase Pi acquisition from both inorganic and organic sources in the soil. Altered root morphology and mycorrhizal symbiosis further enhance Pi acquisition. The responses to phosphate deficiency are coordinated by changes in cellular Pi levels, involving the activation or inactivation of numerous genes. The review also highlights the importance of Pi availability in determining crop productivity, the highly regulated nature of Pi uptake, and the role of transporters in maintaining cellular Pi homeostasis.