Potassium uptake efficiency and dynamics in the rhizosphere of maize (Zea mays L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) evaluated with a mechanistic model

• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-009-0277-6
• Publication Date: 2010-01-22T06:06:16Z
• Authors: Debasmita Samal; John L. Kovar; Bernd Steingrobe; Upkar S. Sadana; Pratapbhanu S. Bh...; Norbert Claassen
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 570; Soil Science; 0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; Plant Science; 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences; 15. Life on land

Plant species differ in nutrient uptake efficiency. With a pot experiment, we evaluated potassium (K) efficiency of maize (Zea mays L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) grown on low-K soil. Sugar maintained higher shoot K concentrations, indicating Wheat acquired more because greater root length to dry weight ratio. accumulated as result 3- 4-fold influx compared maize, respectively. Nutrient model NST 3.0 closely predicted when 250 mg kg−1 were added the soil, but under-predicted under low supply. Sensitivity analysis showed that increasing soil solution concentration (CLi) by factor 1.6–3.5 or buffer power (b) 10- 50-fold resulted 100% prediction influx. When both maximum (Imax) b increased 2.5 25 beet, could predict measured 100%. In general, parameter changes affected mostly calculated hairs, demonstrating their possible important role plant