| Popis: |
Shortage of resources and the environmental problems of intensive agriculture form the economic and ecological background of searching for more nutrient efficient plants. Breeding for nutritional efficiency, however, is still hampered by the lack of reliable screening criteria. Therefore, there is a necessity to define properties and metabolic activities of significance to nutrient efficiency. The following aspects will be discussed, paying special attention to areas for further research: 1. Root parameters related to nutrient uptake: Morphological root properties and physiological functions which may influence nutrient uptake are now reasonably well understood. However, work is still needed to evaluate the significance of root parameters under limited nutrient supply and to solve problems encountered in their determination. 2. Shoot-root relations: Nutrient uptake by the roots, their translocation to the shoots and subsequent redistribution among plant organs are governed by a complex exchange of substrates and information between shoots and roots. 3. Root-soil interactions: Topics of special interest are the root products affecting soil nutrient availability, the interaction between root exudates and microbial nutrient turnover, and the root enzymes related to the availability of organically bound nutrients in the rhizosphere. |
