Decoupling tillering and fertilization: For rice as an agricultural crop, more tillers, or branches that carry grains, are desired, as is less demand for nitrogen fertilization. Unfortunately, for many rice varieties, the number of tillers depends on the amount of nitrogen fertilization. Wu et al. now show that nitrogen status affects chromatin function through modification of histones, a process in which the transcription factor NGR5 recruits polycomb repressive complex 2 to target genes. Some of these genes regulate tillering, such that with more nitrogen, the plants develop more tillers. NGR5 is regulated by proteasomal destruction and mediates hormone signaling. An increase in NGR5 levels can drive increases in rice tillering and yield without requiring increases in nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Science , this issue p. eaaz2046