Summary
Root hairs increase phosphorus, P, uptake over that due to the plant root alone. A mechanistic model using 16 parameters was developed to describe this process. The model was verified with an experiment using six species that varied widely in root hair length, density and radius. A sensitivity analysis was conducted and the results are included to illustrate the situations where root hairs contribute significantly to P uptake. Length of root hair, root hair density and root hair radius all influenced predicted P uptake with root hair length being particularily significant.
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Journal Paper No.9100. Purdue Univ. Agric. Exp. Stn. West Lafayette, IN, 47907. Contribution from the Department of Agronomy. This research was supported in part by a grant from Tennessee Valley Authority.
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Itoh, S., Barber, S.A. A numerical solution of whole plant nutrient uptake for soil-root systems with root hairs. Plant Soil 70, 403–413 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374895
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374895