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Important factors in nutrient availability: Root morphology and physiology
Author(s) -
Schubert Sven,
Mengel Konrad
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
zeitschrift für pflanzenernährung und bodenkunde
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 0044-3263
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.19891520206
Subject(s) - plant root , nutrient , morphology (biology) , plant roots , electrochemical gradient , proton transport , root system , proton , concentration gradient , atpase , biology , chemistry , botany , biophysics , horticulture , ecology , environmental chemistry , biochemistry , membrane , genetics , physics , quantum mechanics , enzyme
Nutrient availability in the soil is not only determined by chemical, physical, and micro‐biological factors but can be actively influenced by the plant root system. Various components of root activity have been studied in our laboratory during the last 10 years. The major findings are summarized and discussed with special emphasis on root morphology, cation‐anion imbalance and proton release, the mechanism of proton release and anion secretion. Large species differences in root morphology were found between red clover and rye‐grass. Root morphology was also found to be controlled by environmental and physiological factors. Experimental results obtained with different plant species suggest that proton release by plant roots is not primarily a consequence of excess cation uptake to achieve charge balance in the plant, but rather that active proton extrusion by ATPase activity creates a charge imbalance and a pH gradient which drive nutrient uptake. The pH gradient across the plasmalemma of root cells was also found to be essential for the retention of organic anions by plant roots.