2.1 NITROGEN AND IT ROLE IN THE PLANT.................................................................................... 3 2.2 THE PLANT NITROGEN STATUS ................................................................................................ 4 2.3 PLANT AVAILABLE NITROGEN ................................................................................................. 5 2.3.1 Root inte...

Research into plant-mediated indirect interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and insect herbivores has focussed on those between plant shoots and above-ground herbivores, despite the fact that only below-ground herbivores share the same part of the host plant as AM fungi. Using Plantago lanceolata L., we aimed to characterise how early root herbivory by the vine weevil (Otiorhyn...

Plant growth and development can be influenced by mutualistic and non-mutualistic microorganisms. We investigated the ability of the ericoid endomycorrhizal fungus Oidiodendron maius to influence growth and development of the non-host plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Different experimental setups (non-compartmented and compartmented co-culture plates) were used to investigate the influence of both s...

1. Plant functional composition may indirectly affect fine root processes both qualitatively (e.g. by influencing root chemistry) and quantitatively (e.g. by influencing root biomass and thus soil carbon (C) inputs and the soil environment). Despite the potential implications for ecosystem nitrogen (N) cycling, few studies have addressed the linkages between plant functional composition, root d...

A discussion of the agronomic theory of placing plant nutrients in the root zone of ornamental trees and plants by high pressure hydraulic injection. Definite beneficial effects of deep root injection feeding by high pressure in jection of plant nutrients have been observed in tree and ornamental plant installation and main tenance. The response outperformed conventional surface applications of...

Potassium in plants accounts for up to 10% dry weight, and participates in different physiological processes. Under drought stress, plant requires more potassium but potassium availability in soil solutes is lowered by decreased soil water content. Forming symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi not only enlarges exploration range of plant for mineral nutrients and water in soil, but a...

OpenSimRoot is an open-source, functional-structural plant model and mathematical description of root growth and function. We describe OpenSimRoot and its functionality to broaden the benefits of root modeling to the plant science community. OpenSimRoot is an extended version of SimRoot, established to simulate root system architecture, nutrient acquisition and plant growth. OpenSimRoot has a p...

Predicting root water uptake and plant transpiration is crucial for managing plant irrigation and developing drought-tolerant root system ideotypes (i.e. ideal root systems). Today, three-dimensional structural functional models exist, which allows solving the water flow equation in the soil and in the root systems under transient conditions and in heterogeneous soils. Yet, these models rely on...

Plant-microbe mutualisms can improve plant defense, but the impact of root endophytes on below-ground herbivore interactions remains unknown. We investigated the effects of the root endophyte Piriformospora indica on interactions between rice (Oryza sativa) plants and its root herbivore rice water weevil (RWW; Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus), and how plant jasmonic acid (JA) and GA regulate this tri...

The plant Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex. Benth is a fast depleting medicinal value plant. This plant yields a crystalline product called ‘‘kutkin,’’ in its root, which is usually a mixture of two major C9-iridoid glycosides, i.e., picroside-I (6-Otrans-cinnamoyl catalpol) and kutkoside (10-O-vaniloylcatalpol). The increasing market demand of this phytoconstituent has led to threat of extinction of...