A mechanistic model for understanding root-induced chemical changes controlling phosphorus availability

Ann Bot. 2010 Jun;105(7):1183-97. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcq098. Epub 2010 May 22.

Abstract

Background and aims: Plant nutrition models do not properly account for the effects of root-induced chemical changes in the rhizosphere, e.g. pH changes, on the availability of nutrients such as phosphorus (P). As a result, they underestimate the actual P uptake, i.e. P bioavailability to the plant, in low-P soils. The present study aims at simulating root-induced chemical mechanisms controlling P nutrition in a P-limited soil.

Methods: In this work a mechanistic description for the adsorption of cations and anions by soil constituents (1pK-Triple Plane Model, ion-exchange and Nica-Donnan) was used to simulate changes induced by durum wheat (Triticum durum turgidum) in the P availability of the soil, as measured by water and CaCl2 extraction. Calcium (Ca) availability was also measured and simulated.

Key results: The simulations were found to be in close agreement with experimental data. In the rhizosphere, the goodness-of-fit required to account for the measured uptake of Ca by plants, in addition to the measured uptake of P and root-induced alkalization, were satisfactory. Calcium uptake significantly increased P availability, as assessed through water extraction, by decreasing the promoting effect of Ca adsorption on P adsorption. The study thus enabled P and Ca availability to be related to their bioavailability for durum wheat under experimental conditions. It was also shown that P was primarily adsorbed onto Fe oxides and clay minerals (kaolinite and illite) depending on soil pH. The major source of P for durum wheat nutrition was P desorbed from goethite and kaolinite.

Conclusions: In addition to confirming the validity of our approach to model P availability, the present investigation suggested that in the studied soil, a novel root-induced chemical process was controlling P nutrition under P-deficient conditions, namely the uptake of Ca.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Phosphorus / metabolism*
  • Plant Roots / metabolism*
  • Triticum / metabolism*

Substances

  • Phosphorus
  • Calcium