Transcriptional regulators of nitrate metabolism: Key players in improving nitrogen use in crops

•Excessive application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is ecologically and economically unsustainable.•Crops that are highly efficient in utilizing available N in the soil can reduce the proportion of residual N in the soil.•Nitrate (NO3-) is the major form of N acquired by plants in aerobic soils.•Transcription factors (TF) control major aspects of NO3- uptake, transport and assimilation.•Novel insights on TFs regulating N metabolism can potentially lead to development of agronomically N efficient crops.