Modelling nutrient acquisition by crops with specific consideration of biopores

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Frank Ewert; Professor Dr. Jan Vanderborght
• Subject Area: Plant Cultivation, Plant Nutrition, Agricultural Technology
• Term: from 2014 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 259987567

Quantitative understanding of the interactions between soil structure, soil nutrient pools, root architecture and water and nutrient uptake from subsoils by crops requires approaches that consider the complexity of processes involved including shoot growth, root development, soil water dynamics and soil nutrient turnover. Mathematical modelling provides a helpful mean for the quantitative description of water and nutrient dynamics within the plant-soil system. The central hypothesis of the proposal is that the simulation of nutrient acquisition by crops from the subsoil has to take into account not only crop types with their specific root system, but also soil structure and in particular biopores. We hypothesize that the consideration of the effects of biopore density and quality as well as soil water status on nutrient turnover and accessibility in the subsoil will improve the dynamic simulation modelling of nutrient acquisition by crops at the field scale providing a better basis for improving agronomic management and crops in the future. Specific emphasis is on the acquisition of N and P in interaction with soil moisture conditions and nutrient demand. Using a two-compartment approach, the project develops specific submodels within the modelling framework SIMPLACE for the turnover and uptake of N and P within the soil matrix as well as in the soil biopores. Model development, calibration and validation takes advantage of data which have been collected within the research unit 1320 and data which are gathered in the four other projects of the concerted bundle.In addition, findings and algorithms regarding the influence of biopore properties, root architecture and nutrient uptake from a higher resolution 3D root growth model running at the research center Jülich will be considered in the development of the field scale model solution.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Dr. Thomas Gaiser