Effects of mycorrhizae on nutrient uptake by agricultural crops
A. Schnepf (BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Austria)
More than 90% of all terrestrial plants form mycorrhizas, mutualistic symbiotic associations between plant roots and soil fungi. Mycorrhizas may offer several benefits to the host plant, including faster growth, improved nutrition, greater drought resistance, and protection from pathogens. The fungus benefits from the mycorrhizal symbiosis by receiving photosynthesis products from the plant. Experimental and modelling findings suggest that plant phosphorus nutrition can be dominated by the mycorrhizal pathway. To understand the mechanisms that control and influence the mycorrhizal pathway, we developed a mathematical model for phosphorus uptake by a mycorrhizal root. Hyphal length and tip densities are modelled based on processes on the scale of individual hyphae such as elongation, branching and anastomosis. Uptake by the fungal mycelium and its contribution to total root uptake is dependent on the growth strategies and uptake capacities of different fungal species.
The challenge for mathematical modelling in this area is the upscaling to the scale of a root system and to recognise the continuous feedback loop between root system and fungal colony development and nutrient distribution in soil.