Mathematical modelling of the uptake and transport of salt in plant roots

In this paper, we present and discuss a mathematical model of ion uptake and transport in roots of plants. The underlying physical model of transport is based on the mechanisms of forced diffusion and convection. The model can take account of local variations in effective ion and water permeabilities across the major tissue regions of plant roots, represented through a discretized coupled system of governing equations including mass balance, forced diffusion, convection and electric potential. We present simulation results of an exploration of the consequent enormous parameter space. Among our findings we identify the electric potential as a major factor affecting ion transport across, and accumulation in, root tissues. We also find that under conditions of a constant but realistic level of bulk soil salt concentration and plant–soil hydraulic pressure, diffusion plays a significant role even when convection by the water transpiration stream is operating.