A Balanced Quantitative Model for Root: Shoot Ratios in Vegetative Plants

Abstract

The vegetative growth of a two-component plant consisting of root and shoot only is considered in terms of the transport and utilization of two required substrates, one providing carbon and the other providing nitrogen. The model provides a quantitative scheme for examining how root: shoot ratios depend upon the specific activities of root and shoot and hence environment. It has been shown that the total shoot activity is proportional to the total root activity in a plant undergoing steady-state growth.