Two different morphological varieties of YPO4:Eu3+ (nanorods and nanoparticles) have been synthesized by convenient template-assisted routes. A surfactant-mediated synthesis route generated the nanorods, while a complex based precursor solution method led to the formation of the nanoparticles. The nanorods have an average diameter of similar to 33 nm and an average length of similar to 290 nm, whereas the spherical nanoparticles show an average diameter of similar to 34 nm. Upon photoluminescence study of the as-prepared samples, the chromaticity of the dopant ion was found to be sensitive to the host morphology as well as the preparative strategy adopted for sample fabrication. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.