水稻根系在根袋处理条件下对氮养分的反应

通过大田试验对 1 0个水稻品种根系与产量的关系研究表明 ,抽穗期和成熟期根冠比与产量呈极显著的负相关关系 ,相关系数分别为 - 0 .861 6和 - 0 .8889。随之在大田试验基础上选择根冠比大的品种粳籼89,设计水分和养分能自由通过 ,而根系不能穿过的根袋 ,根袋从小到大不同 ,以便产生不同大小的水稻植株根冠比。通过水培实验研究在根袋处理后对不同养分条件的反应。水培液设 3种氮素养分水平 ,即2 0 mg/kg,40 mg/kg,60 mg/kg。结果表明 ,在不同氮素养分条件下 ,经过根袋处理后在抽穗期根系干重都有下降趋势 ,根冠比显著降低 ,而根系活性吸收面积在抽穗期有不同程度的增加 ,茎鞘贮存性碳水化合物含量明显增加 ,叶绿素含量则无明显影响。在抽穗期较大的根袋处理根系总吸收面积、活跃吸收面积及所占比例与对照相比增加效果较为明显 ,而较小的根袋处理根系吸收的能力降低 ,根系吸收能力大小顺序为 :大袋 >中袋 >对照 >小袋。随养分浓度的增加 ,不同根袋处理在抽穗期的根系总吸收面积和活跃吸收面积有下降的趋势。较大的根袋处理在 2 0 mg/kg和 60 mg/kg氮素养分条件下能适当减少根系直径 ,增强根系的活性吸收比例 ,从而提高根系的活力 ;但在成熟期根袋处理对根系的活性吸收无明显影响     

Shoot Apex Demand Determines Assimilate and Nutrients Partitioning and Nutrient-uptake Rate in Tobacco Plants

Our previous experiment revealed that apex-removed plants have larger root systems but a lower K＋-uptake rates than intact tobacco plants. Since the apex is not only a center of growth and metabolism, but also an important place of auxin synthesis and export, the aims of this study were to distinguish whether the apex demand or auxin synthesized in the apex regulates assimilate and nutrients partitioning within plant, and to explain the reason for the lower K＋-uptake rate of the apex-removed plant. In comparison with the control plant, covering the shoot apex with a black transparent plastic bag reduced net increases in dry matter and nutrients; however, the distribution of the dry matter and nutrients between shoot and roots and nutrient-uptake rates were not changed. Removal of the shoot apex shifted the dry mass and nutrients distributions to roots, and reduced the rate of nutrient uptake. Application of 1-naphthylacetic acid （NAA） could partly replace the role of the removed apex, stimulated assimilate and nutrient deposition into the treated tissue, and enhanced the reduced plasma membrane ATPase activity of roots to the control level. However, treatment of the apex-removed plants with NAA could not rescue the reduced nutrient uptake rate and the shifted assimilates and nutrients partitioning caused by excision of the apex. Higher nutrient uptake rate of the intact plants could not be explained by root growth parameters, such as total root surface area and number of root tips. The results from the present study indicate that strong apex demand determined assimilates and nutrients partitioning and nutrient-uptake rate in tobacco （Nicotiana tabacum） plants.     

Increased nutrient supply facilitates acclimation to high-water level in the marsh plant Deyeuxia angustifolia: The response of root morphology

Both water level and nutrient availability are important factors influencing the growth of wetland plants. Increased nutrient supply might counteract the negative effects of flooding on the growth of the fast-growing species. Experimental evidence is scarce and the mechanism is far from clear. The aim of this study is to identify the role of nutrient availability in acclimation to high-water level by investigating the growth and root morphology of the marsh plant Deyeuxia angustifolia, one of the dominant species in the Sanjiang Plain, China. Experimental treatments included two water levels (0 and 10 cm, relative to soil surface) and three levels of nutrient supply (0, 0.5 and 1 g fertilizer per container). High-water level usually led to decreased biomass accumulation, shoot mass and root mass, whereas biomass accumulation was unaffected by water level at the highest nutrient level, indicating that high-nutrient availability played a role in compensating for the growth loss induced by the high-water level. Increased nutrient supply led to decreased root length in 0 cm water-level treatments, but root length increased with nutrient supply in the 10 cm water-level treatments. High-water level usually led to a lower lateral root density, lateral root:main root length ratio and the diameter of main roots and laterals, whereas increased nutrient supply resulted in thicker main roots or laterals, and a higher total root length, lateral root density and lateral root:main root length ratio. These data indicate that the growth of D. angustifolia is restrained by high-water level, and that increased nutrient supply not only ameliorates root characteristics to acclimate to high-water level but also results in a high-total root length to facilitate nutrient acquisition.     

Physiological basis of differential response to salinity in rice cultivars

Growth analyses of rice Oryza sativa L. seedlings in salinized nutrient solution condition were conducted with 24 cultivars and lines after genetic purification. Cultivar differences in relative growth rate in salinized conditions were chiefly dependent on differences in shoot Na content. The shoot Na content was affected by Na selectivity in the root and by the leaf area ratio (LAR, leaf area per total dry weight). The contribution of LAR was equally important to that of root cultivar selectivity against Na uptake under a higher salinization condition where root selectivity against Na may be decreased due to reduced root activity. Cultivar differences in salt tolerance in highly salinized conditions were mainly attributed to differences in these two factors. A more convenient and efficient screening method for salt tolerance is proposed.     

A novel method of supplying nutrients permits predictable shoot growth and root : shoot ratios of pre-transplant bedding plants

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Growth of bedding plants, in small peat plugs, relies on nutrients in the irrigation solution. The object of the study was to find a way of modifying the nutrient supply so that good-quality seedlings can be grown rapidly and yet have the high root : shoot ratios essential for efficient transplanting. METHODS: A new procedure was devised in which the concentrations of nutrients in the irrigation solution were modified during growth according to changing plant demand, instead of maintaining the same concentrations throughout growth. The new procedure depends on published algorithms for the dependence of growth rate and optimal plant nutrient concentrations on shoot dry weight W(s) (g m(-2)), and on measuring evapotranspiration rates and shoot dry weights at weekly intervals. Pansy, Viola tricola 'Universal plus yellow' and petunia, Petunia hybrida 'Multiflora light salmon vein' were grown in four independent experiments with the expected optimum nutrient concentration and fractions of the optimum. Root and shoot weights were measured during growth. KEY RESULTS: For each level of nutrient supply W(s) increased with time (t) in days, according to the equation DeltaW(s)/Deltat=K(2)W(s)/(100+W(s)) in which the growth rate coefficient (K(2)) remained approximately constant throughout growth. The value of K(2) for the optimum treatment was defined by incoming radiation and temperature. The value of K(2) for each sub-optimum treatment relative to that for the optimum treatment was logarithmically related to the sub-optimal nutrient supply. Provided the aerial environment was optimal, R(sb)/R(o) approximately W(o)/W(sb) where R is the root : shoot ratio, W is the shoot dry weight, and sb and o indicate sub-optimum and optimum nutrient supplies, respectively. Sub-optimal nutrient concentrations also depressed shoot growth without appreciably affecting root growth when the aerial environment was non-limiting. CONCLUSION: The new procedure can predict the effects of nutrient supply, incoming radiation and temperature on the time course of shoot growth and the root : shoot ratio for a range of growing conditions.     

Responses of Pinus clausa, Pinus serotina and Pinus taeda seedlings to anaerobic solution culture. II. Changes in tissue nutrient concentration and net acquisition

Fifteen or 30 days of anaerobic growth conditions significantly reduced shoot and root nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, iron and manganese concentrations in seedlings of pond pine ( Pinus serotina Michx.), sand pine [ P. clausa (Engelm.) Sarg.] and drought-hardy and wet-site loblolly pine ( P. taeda L.) grown in a culture system using non-circulating, continuously flowing solution. Calcium and shoot magnesium levels were least affected by anaerobic growth conditions – largely reflecting the passive nature of their uptake. Shoot and root nutrient content (mg nutrient pot^-1) followed similar trends, with wet-site loblolly and pond pine seedlings least affected by anaerobic solution culture. Shoot biomass of wet-site loblolly and pond pine seedlings was not affected by anaerobiosis, suggesting an increase in shoot nutrient utilization efficiency. Root biomass was significantly reduced by 15 or 30 days of anaerobiosis, with sand pine exhibiting the largest reduction in root dry weight (57%).
These results suggest that anaerobiosis interferes with net nutrient acquisition, even under the high nutrient conditions provided by solution culture. Sand pine suffered the largest reductions in shoot and root biomass and nutrient concentrations, showing earlier symptoms of waterlogging injury and nutrient stress than drought-hardy loblolly pine seedlings. Whether net nutrient acquisition decreased because of the reduction in root surface area available for absorption and/or reduced uptake efficiency cannot be ascertained from these data.     

Uptake of molybdenum at two pH levels as influenced by anaerobiosis

Summary The influence of anaerobiosis and pH level of the nutrient medium has been studied with respect to Mo-uptake by corn and tomato plants. Data presented suggest that species differences may alter penetration and transport of Mo. Practical significance is attached to the fact that high nutrient levels in root systems do not necessarily indicate the status in the shoots. Conversely, analysis of shoot tissue can be misleading in assessing total Mo (and possibly other ions) removal under certain cultural environments.Plant Science Department, University of Connecticut, Scientific Contribution No.198, Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.     

Biomass partitioning,architecture and turnover of six herbaceous species from habitats with different nutrient supply

Three grasses (Holcus lanatus, Anthoxanthum odoratum and Festuca ovina) and three herbs (Rumex obtusifolius, Plantago lanceolata and Hieracium pilosella) were grown in a greenhouse at 3 nutrient levels in order to evaluate plant allocation, architecture and biomass turnover in relation to fertility level of their habitats.Four harvests were done at intervals of 4 weeks. Various plant traits related to biomass partitioning, plant architecture, biomass turnover and performance were determined. Differences in nutrient supply induced a strong functional response in the species shoot:root allocation, but architecture and turnover showed little or no response. Architectural parameters like specific leaf area and specific root length, however, in general decreased during plant development.Species from more nutrient-rich successional stages were characterized by a larger specific leaf area and longer specific shoot height (height/shoot biomass), resulting in a higher RGR and total biomass in all nutrient conditions. There was no evidence that species from nutrient-poor environments had a longer specific root length or any other superior growth characteristic. The only advantage displayed by these species was a lower leaf turnover when expressed as the fraction of dead leaves and a shorter specific shoot height (SSH) which might prevent herbivory and mowing losses.The dead leaf fraction, which is a good indicator for biomass and nutrient loss, appeared to be not only determined by the leaf longevity, but was also found to be directly related to the RGR of the species. This new fact might explain the slow relative growth rates in species from a nutrient-poor habitat and should be considered in future discussions about turnover.     

Dynamics of seedling growth acclimation towards altered light conditions can be quantified via GROWSCREEN: a setup and procedure designed for rapid optical phenotyping of different plant species

Using a novel setup, we assessed how fast growth of Nicotiana tabacum seedlings responds to alterations in the light regime and investigated whether starch-free mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana show decreased growth potential at an early developmental stage. Leaf area and relative growth rate were measured based on pictures from a camera automatically placed above an array of 120 seedlings. Detection of total seedling leaf area was performed via global segmentation of colour images for preset thresholds of the parameters hue, saturation and value. Dynamic acclimation of relative growth rate towards altered light conditions occurred within 1 d in N. tabacum exposed to high nutrient availability, but not in plants exposed to low nutrient availability. Increased leaf area was correlated with an increase in shoot fresh and dry weight as well as root growth in N. tabacum. Relative growth rate was shown to be a more appropriate parameter than leaf area for detection of dynamic growth acclimation. Clear differences in leaf growth activity were also observed for A. thaliana. As growth responses are generally most flexible in early developmental stages, the procedure described here is an important step towards standardized protocols for rapid detection of the effects of changes in internal (genetic) and external (environmental) parameters regulating plant growth.     

Episodic whole plant growth patterns in Ligustrum

Episodic growth of Ligustrum japonicum Thunb. plants was determined by measuring total shoot and root fresh weight nondestructively. Episodic growth patterns were apparent in shoot elongation, shoot and root fresh weight as a percent of total fresh weight, shoot and root relative growth rates (RGR_s and RGR_r) and two-dimensional measurements of the root system. Increases in root growth and initiation of lateral root branching were coincident with changes in percent of total fresh weight in the root and RGR_r. The rate of fresh weight gain of roots, shoots and the whole plant increased continuously throughout two experiments and thus episodic growth patterns were not apparent from these values. Alternating episodes of shoot and root growth, which is shown by percent fresh weight allocation and RGR, did not directly correspond to shoot elongation and cessation of elongation. Continuous, nondestructive measurement of total shoot and root growth reveals important changes in growth which may be obscured by other measurement techniques.     

Transient three-dimensional modeling of soil water and solute transport with simultaneous root growth,root water and nutrient uptake

A three-dimensional solute transport model was developed and linked to a three-dimensional transient model for soil water flow and root growth. The simulation domain is discretized into a grid of finite elements by which the soil physical properties are spatially distributed. Solute transport modeling includes passive and active nutrient uptake by roots as well as zero- and first-order source/sink terms. Root water uptake modeling accounts for matric and osmotic potential effects on water and passive nutrient uptake. Root age effects on root water and nutrient uptake activity have been included, as well as the influence of nutrient deficiency and ion toxicity on root growth. Examples illustrate simulations with different levels of model complexity, depending on the amount of information available to the user. At the simplest level, root growth is simulated as a function of mechanical soil strength only. Application of the intermediate level with root water and nutrient uptake simulates the influence of timing and amount of NO3 application on leaching. The most comprehensive level includes simulation of root and shoot growth as influenced by soil water and nutrient status, temperature, and dynamic allocation of assimilate to root and shoot.     

The role of long-distance signalling in plant responses to nitrate and other nutrients.

The phenotypic plasticity that plants display in response to changes in their nutrient supply requires the operation of both short- and long-range signalling pathways. Long-distance signals arising in the root can provide the shoot with an early warning of fluctuations in external nutrient concentrations, while signals in the reverse direction are needed to ensure that root physiology and development are integrated with the nutritional demands of the shoot. In this review, the focus is on recent advances in the understanding of these long-distance signalling pathways with an emphasis on nitrate nutrition, and a personal view of the key issues for future research is put forward.     

BYPASS1 negatively regulates a root-derived signal that controls plant architecture

Plant architecture is regulated by endogenous developmental programs, but it can also be strongly influenced by cues derived from the environment. For example, rhizosphere conditions such as water and nutrient availability affect shoot and root architecture; this implicates the root as a source of signals that can override endogenous developmental programs. Cytokinin, abscisic acid, and carotenoid derivatives have all been implicated as long-distance signals that can be derived from the root. However, little is known about how root-derived signaling pathways are regulated. Here, we show that BYPASS1 (BPS1), an Arabidopsis gene of unknown function, is required to prevent constitutive production of a root-derived graft-transmissible signal that is sufficient to inhibit leaf initiation, leaf expansion, and shoot apical meristem activity. We show that this root-derived signal is likely to be a novel carotenoid-derived molecule that can modulate both root and shoot architecture.     

Metabolic acclimation of source and sink tissues to salinity stress in bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon)

Salinity is one of the major environmental factors affecting plant growth and survival by modifying source and sink relationships at physiological and metabolic levels. Individual metabolite levels and/or ratios in sink and source tissues may reflect the complex interplay of metabolic activities in sink and source tissues at the whole‐plant level. We used a non‐targeted gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) approach to study sink and source tissue‐specific metabolite levels and ratios from bermudagrass under salinity stress. Shoot growth rate decreased while root growth rate increased which lead to an increased root/shoot growth rate ratio under salt stress. A clear shift in soluble sugars (sucrose, glucose and fructose) and metabolites linked to nitrogen metabolism (glutamate, aspartate and asparagine) in favor of sink roots was observed, when compared with sink and source leaves. The higher shifts in soluble sugars and metabolites linked to nitrogen metabolism in favor of sink roots may contribute to the root sink strength maintenance that facilitated the recovery of the functional equilibrium between shoot and root, allowing the roots to increase competitive ability for below‐ground resource capture. This trait could be considered in breeding programs for increasing salt tolerance, which would help maintain root functioning (i.e. water and nutrient absorption, Na⁺ exclusion) and adaptation to stress.     

Allocation,within and between organs,and the dynamics of root length changes in two birch species

Spatial and temporal dynamics of biomass allocation within and between organs were investigated in seedlings of two birch species of contrasting successional status. Seedlings of Betula alleghaniensis Britt (yellow birch) and B. populifolia Marsh (gray birch) were grown for 6 weeks at two nutrient levels in rectangular plexiglass containers to allow non-destructive estimates of root growth, production and loss. Leaf area and production were simultaneously monitored. Yellow birch responded more to nutrient level than gray birch in terms of total biomass, shoot biomass, leaf area and root length. Yellow birch also flexibly altered within-organ allocation (specific leaf area, specific root length and specific soil amount). In contrast, gray birch altered between-organ allocation patterns (root length:leaf area and soil amount:leaf area ratios) more than yellow birch in response to nutrient level. Yellow birch showed greater overall root density changes within a very compact root system, while gray birch showed localized root density changes as concentric bands of new root production spread through the soil. Species differ critically in their responses of standing root length and root production and loss rates to nutrient supply. Early successional species such as gray birch are hypothesized to exhibit higher plasticity in varied environments than later successional species such as yellow birch. Our results suggest that different patterns of allocation, within and between plant organs, do not necessarily follow the same trajectories. To characterize thoroughly the nature of functional flexibility through ontogeny, within- and between-organ patterns of allocation must be accounted for.     

Nutrient uptake and allocation at steady-state nutrition

Ingestad, T. and Ågren, G. I. 1988. Nutrient uptake and allocation at steady-state nutrition. - Physiol. Plant. 72: 450–459. Net nutrient uptake and translocation rates are discussed for conditions of steady-state nutrition and growth. Under these conditions, the relative uptake rate is equal to the relative growth rate, for whole plants as well as for plant parts, since the root/shoot ratio and internal concentrations remain stable. The nutrient productivity and the minimum internal concentration are parameters characteristic for the plant and the nutrient. A conceptual, mathematical model, based on these two fundamental parameters is used for calculation and prediction of the net nutrient uptake rate, which is required to maintain steady-state nutrition at a specified internal nutrient concentration or relative growth rate. When uptake rate is expressed on the basis of the root growth rate, there is, up to optimum, a strong linear relationship between uptake rate and the internal concentration of the limiting nutrient. More complicated and less consistent relationships are obtained when uptake rate is related to root biomass. The limiting factor for suboptimum uptake is the amount of nutrients becoming available at the root surface. When replenishment is efficient, e.g. with vigorous stirring, the concentration requirement at the root surface appears to be extremely low, even at optimum. In the suboptimum range of nutrition, the effect of nutrient status on root growth rate is a critical factor with a strong feed-back on nutrition, growth and allocation. At supraoptimum conditions, the uptake mechanism is interpreted as a protection against too high uptake rates and internal concentrations at high external concentration. In birch (Betula pendula Roth.), the allocation of nitrogen to the shoots is high compared to that of potassium and also to that of phosphorus at low nitrogen or phosphorus status. With decreasing stress, phosphorus allocation becomes more and more similar to nitrogen allocation. The formulation of a mathematical model for calculation of allocation of biomass and nutrients requires more exact information on the quantitative dependence of the growth-regulating processes on nutrition.     

Combined effects between temporal heterogeneity of water supply,nutrient level,and population density on biomass of four broadly distributed herbaceous species

Temporal heterogeneity of water supply affects grassland community productivity and it can interact with nutrient level and intraspecific competition. To understand community responses, the responses of individual species to water heterogeneity must be evaluated while considering the interactions of this heterogeneity with nutrient levels and population density. We compared responses of four herbaceous species grown in monocultures to various combinations of water heterogeneity, nutrient level, and population density: two grasses (Cynodon dactylon and Lolium perenne), a forb (Artemisia princeps), and a legume (Trifolium repens). Treatment effects on shoot and root biomass were analyzed. In all four species, shoot biomass was larger under homogeneous than under heterogeneous water supply. Shoot responses of L. perenne tended to be greater at high nutrient levels. Although root biomass was also larger under homogeneous water supply, effects of water heterogeneity on root biomass were not significant in the grasses. Trifolium repens showed marked root responses, particularly at high population density. Although greater shoot and root growth under homogeneous water supply appears to be a general trend among herbaceous species, our results suggested differences among species could be found in the degree of response to water heterogeneity and its interactions with nutrient level and intraspecific competition.     

Allometric Root/Shoot Relationships and Predicted Water Uptake for Desert Succulents

Root morphology, shoot morphology, and water uptake for Agavedeserti and Ferocactus acanthodes of various sizes were studiedusing allometric relationships (y = ax^b) and a previously developedwater uptake model. Shoot surface area increased with shootvolume with an exponent b of 0.75 for both species. Root lengthand the ground area explored by the roots increased with shootsurface area with b's of 0.72 for A. deserti and 0.92 for F.acanthodes. Various sized individuals had about the same ratioof root length to explored ground area, with higher values occurringfor A. deserti. Predicted water uptake averaged over the exploredground area was approximately constant over a 10⁴-fold rangein shoot surface area, suggesting that shoot size confers nointraspecific competitive advantage for water uptake. For theroot lengths per explored ground area observed in the field,water uptake was predicted to be 85 per cent of maximal; wateruptake could be increased by the production of more rain roots.When differences in shoot volume were accounted for by allometry,small plants had relatively less shoot surface area and relativelymore root length per shoot volume than did large plants, whichmay be important for the water relations of seedling establishment. Agave deserti, Ferocactus acanthodes, allometry, desert succulents, root distribution, root length, seedling growth, seedling establishment, shoot surface area, shoot volume, water uptake     

不同氮磷添加浓度对豆科3种树木幼苗生长及生物量分配的影响

选取海南尖峰岭热带山地雨林中不同功能类群的豆科树木幼苗（代表低氮需求的长脐红豆Ormosia balansae Drake、中氮需求的荔枝叶红豆Ormosia semicastrata Hance f. litchifolia How和高氮需求的猴耳环Archidendron clypearia（Jack）I.C.Nielsen）为对象,设置5个浓度梯度的氮（N）添加和2个浓度梯度的磷（P）添加养分控制实验,研究苗木的生长表现。结果显示：（1）氮添加条件下,3个树种幼苗的苗高、总叶面积、根长、根表面积、生物量5个指标对中高浓度氮添加的敏感性大小均为长脐红豆 > 猴耳环 > 荔枝叶红豆;其中,叶总面积对氮肥浓度变化的响应最敏感,长脐红豆的根长、根表面积以及猴耳环根长的响应敏感性次之。（2）长脐红豆和猴耳环幼苗的根冠比受氮肥添加浓度的影响不显著;荔枝叶红豆幼苗的根冠比则随氮肥添加浓度的升高而增大,这种适应策略反映出荔枝叶红豆幼苗对添加中高浓度氮肥有较强的耐受能力。（3）磷添加条件下,长脐红豆和猴耳环幼苗的生长速率为低磷>高磷,表明这2个树种在幼苗阶段为低氮、低磷需求;荔枝叶红豆在低氮处理下的生长速率为高磷>低磷,表明该树种幼苗阶段为低氮、高磷需求。     

Physiological and growth responses of Centaurea maculosa (Asteraceae) to root herbivory under varying levels of interspecific plant competition and soil nitrogen availability

Summary Centaurea maculosa seedlings were grown in pots to study the effects of root herbivory by Agapeta zoegana L. (Lep.: Cochylidae) and Cyphocleonus achates Fahr. (Col.: Curculionidae), grass competition and nitrogen shortage (each present or absent), using a full factorial design. The aims of the study were to analyse the impact of root herbivory on plant growth, resource allocation and physiological processes, and to test if these plant responses to herbivory were influenced by plant competition and nitrogen availability. The two root herbivores differed markedly in their impact on plant growth. While feeding by the moth A. zoegana in the root cortex had no effect on shoot and root mass, feeding by the weevil C. achates in the central vascular tissue greatly reduced shoot mass, but not root mass, leading to a reduced shoot/root ratio. The absence of significant effects of the two herbivores on root biomass, despite considerable consumption, indicates that compensatory root growth occurred. Competition with grass affected plant growth more than herbivory and nutrient status, resulting in reduced shoot and root growth, and number of leaves. Nitrogen shortage did not affect plant growth directly but greatly influenced the compensatory capacity of Centaurea maculosa to root herbivory. Under high nitrogen conditions, shoot biomass of plants infested by the weevil was reduced by 30% compared with uninfested plants. However, under poor nitrogen conditions a 63% reduction was observed compared with corresponding controls. Root herbivory was the most important stress factor affecting plant physiology. Besides a relative increase in biomass allocation to the roots, infested plants also showed a significant increase in nitrogen concentration in the roots and a concomitant reduction in leaf nitrogen concentration, reflecting a redirection of the nitrogen to the stronger sink. The level of fructans was greatly reduced in the roots after herbivore feeding. This is thought to be a consequence of their mobilisation to support compensatory root growth. A preliminary model linking the effects of these root herbivores to the physiological processes of C. maculosa is presented.