Significance of root hairs at the field scale – modelling root water and phosphorus uptake under different field conditions

• Published in: Plant and soil Vol. 447; no. 1-2; pp. 281 - 304
• Main Authors: Ruiz, S., Koebernick, N., Duncan, S., Fletcher, D. McKay, Scotson, C., Boghi, A., Marin, M., Bengough, A. G., George, T. S., Brown, L. K., Hallett, P. D., Roose, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.02.2020; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Computer simulation; Continuum modeling; Ecology; Life Sciences; Phosphorus; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Regular; Regular Article; Root hairs; Soil profiles; Soil properties; Soil Science & Conservation; Soils; United Kingdom; Water; Rhizosphere; Field; Plant roots; Soil; Phosphorus; Mathematical modelling; Root hairs
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-019-04308-2

Background and aims Root hairs play a significant role in phosphorus (P) extraction at the pore scale. However, their importance at the field scale remains poorly understood. Methods This study uses a continuum model to explore the impact of root hairs on the large-scale uptake of P, comparing root hair influence under different agricultural scenarios. High vs low and constant vs decaying P concentrations down the soil profile are considered, along with early vs late precipitation scenarios. Results Simulation results suggest root hairs accounted for 50% of total P uptake by plants. Furthermore, a delayed initiation time of precipitation potentially limits the P uptake rate by over 50% depending on the growth period. Despite the large differences in the uptake rate, changes in the soil P concentration in the domain due to root solute uptake remains marginal when considering a single growth season. However, over the duration of 6 years, simulation results showed that noticeable differences arise over time. Conclusion Root hairs are critical to P capture, with uptake efficiency potentially enhanced by coordinating irrigation with P application during earlier growth stages of crops.