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Modelling Water and Nutrient Uptake

  • Chapter
Root Methods

Abstract

Supplying plants with inorganic nutrients and water is a major function of roots (Nye and Tinker 1977; Nielsen 1983; Barber 1984; Jungk and Claassen 1989; Gahoonia and Nielsen 1991, 1992a,b). It is still a major challenge to agricultural research to quantitatively predict production of a crop as influenced by uptake of nutrients and water. Models can be of great assistance to understand how different factors and their interactions influence crop functioning. A model is per definition a simplification of part of reality. To quote Van Wijk (1963): “Generally it is necessary to introduce drastic simplifications in an agricultural problem to make it amenable to a mathematical analysis. Objections are sometimes raised that such simplifications restrict or even preclude the applicabilitychr.... However this need not be the case. The very purpose of the mathematical physical treatment is to isolate the essential characteristics of the problem and to abstract them from the less essential ones”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Green World Research, Alterra, Postbus 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    P. de Willigen

  2. The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, 40 Thorvaldsensvej, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark

    N. E. Nielsen

  3. Georg-August University, von Siebold-Str. 6, 37075, Göttingen, Germany

    N. Claassen

  4. Istituto Sperimentale Agronomico, Via C. Ulsiani 5, 70125, Bari, Italy

    A. M. Castrignanò

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  1. P. de Willigen
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  2. N. E. Nielsen
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  3. N. Claassen
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  4. A. M. Castrignanò
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Research International (Wageningen UR), Postbus 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Albert L. Smit  & Siebe C. van de Geijn  & 

  2. Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) Invergowie, DD2 5DA, Dundee, UK

    A. Glyn Bengough

  3. Institute of Geosciences, Department of Agroecology, University of Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany

    Christof Engels

  4. ICRAF, JI CIFOR, PO Box 161, Situ Gede Sindang Barang Bogor 16680, 16001, Bogor, Indonesia

    Meine van Noordwijk

  5. INRA, 71 Avenue Edouard Bourleaux, B.P. 81, 33883, Villenave d’Ornon, France

    Sylvain Pellerin

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de Willigen, P., Nielsen, N.E., Claassen, N., Castrignanò, A.M. (2000). Modelling Water and Nutrient Uptake. In: Smit, A.L., Bengough, A.G., Engels, C., van Noordwijk, M., Pellerin, S., van de Geijn, S.C. (eds) Root Methods. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04188-8_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04188-8_15

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