LECTURE 3:

Kuliah 3

NUTRIENT UPTAKE

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 Nutrient uptake by roots growing
in soil.
 Arrow 1 indicates the mass flow of
nutrients dissolved in the soil
water, moving to replace water
lost from the surface of the leaves.
 Arrow 2 indicates the physical 3 1
interception of nutrient-rich sites
in soil by the growing root tip.
 Arrow 3 indicates the potential of 2
organic acids secreted by the
living root to chemically alter
nutrients on contact, to improve
uptake into the root tissues.

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 QUIZ
How is the selectivity of nutrient uptake ?
1. Is Nutrient uptake selective
?
a. High
2. How are nutrient elements b. Moderate
taken up by plants ? c. Low
3. What is interception, mass d. Very low
flow & diffusion ?
4. Calculate the amount of
e. Not
nutrient elements possibly selective
taken up by plants

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 How is the selectivity of nutrient uptake ?
a. It is selective and dependent upon plant genetic,
and not influenced by environmental factors
b. It is selective and dependent upon plant genetic,
but influenced by environmental factors
c. It is not selective and dependent upon
environmental factors, and independent of plant
genetic
d. It is not selective and independent of
environmental factors plant genetic
e. All answer are wrong

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 How are nutrient elements transported
from the soil into the roots?
a. Difussion
b. Mass flow
c. Interception
d. Answer a & b are right
e. Answer a, b & c are right

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 LECTURE FLOW
• SELECTIVITY
• SOIL-ROOT TRANSPORT
Root Interception
Mass Flow
Diffusion

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 SELECTIVITY
1. Is nutrient uptake selective (controlled by
plants ) ?
Experiment : Compare uptake of
1. Nutrient and Non-nutrient elements
2. Macro & Micro Nutrient elements

2. What is the principle ?

If nutrient uptake is not selective, the
process of nutrient uptake will be
controlled by factors other than plants
such as nutrient concentration in the
rooting medium

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Ganggang (algae) merupakan suatu
organisme yang ideal untuk studi
selektivitas

NO3- NO3- NO3-

K+ K+ K+

Membran Tonoplas
plasma
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Tabel . Relationship between ion concentration in
the substrate and in the cell sap of Nitella and
Valonia

Nitella Valonia
Ion Pond Cell B1/A1 Seawater Cell B2/A2
water (B1) (A2) (B2)
(A1)

Potassium (K) 0.05 54 1080 12 500 42

Sodium (Na) 0.22 10 45 498 90 0.18

Calcium (Ca) 0.78 10 13 12 2 0.17

Chloride (Cl) 0.93 91 98 580 597 1

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Tabel. Changes in the ion concentration of the
external (nutrient) solution and in the root press sap
of maize (M) and Bean (B)
Jenis Ion Rooting Medium Root
Initial M (4 dap) B (4 dap) M B
Potassium 2,00 0,14 0,67 160 84
(K)
Calcium (Ca) 1,00 0,94 0,59 3 10
Sodium (Na) 0,32 0,51 0,58 0,6 6
Phosphate (P) 0,25 0,06 0,09 6 12
Nitrate (N) 2,00 0,13 0,07 38 35
Sulfate 0,67 0,61 0,81 14 6

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 Conclusion
The results obtained from both lower and higher
plants demonstrate that ion uptake is
characterized by
1. Selectivity. Certain mineral elements are
taken up preferentiall, while others are
discriminated agains or nearly excluded
2. Accumulation. The concentration of mineral
elements can be much higher in plant cell sap
than in external solution
3. Genotype. There are distinct differences
among plant species in ion uptake
characteristics

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 NUTRIENT UPTAKE
1. Root extension
and Interception
2. Mass Flow
3. Diffusion

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 Estimated amounts of mineral nutrients
supplied to maize roots in fertile Silt Loam
Soil

Uptake (kg/ha) by
Avail able
Nutrient (kg/ha) Inter- Mass Diffu-
Total
ception flow sion

Calcium 4000 40 90 - 45
Magnesium 800 8 75 - 35
Potassium 300 3 12 95 110
Phosphorus 100 1 0.12 28.9 30

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 Root extension and
Interception
 Perpanjangan akar
berperanan penting dalam serapan unsur hara melalui
intersepsi karena ruang yang ditempati akar akan semakin
besar sehingga peluang permukaan akar kontak dengan
unsur hara dalam larutan tanah akan semakin tinggi.
 Intersepsi = “uptake without transport”
adalah serapan unsur hara yang kontak langsung dengan akar
tanpa transport dari suatu tempat ke permukaan akar.

Exposure to soil and new supplies of nutrients -

roots could contact 3% of the soil or nutrients in
the soil.

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 Root interception occurs when a nutrient comes into physical
contact with the root surface.
 Root interception increases as the root surface area and mass
increases.
 Root interception may be enhanced by mycorrhizal fungi, which
colonize roots and increases root exploration into the soil.
 Root interception is responsible for an appreciable amount of
calcium uptake, and some amounts of magnesium, zinc and
manganese.
 The CEC of roots for monocots is 10 - 30 meq/100 g and takes up
monovalent cations more readily and that of Dicots is 40 - 100
meq/100 g and takes up divalent cations more readily.
 The quantity of nutrients intercepted by roots depends on the soil
concentration of nutrients and volume of soil displaced by root
system

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Root extension and Interception

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 Bulu akar
Peranan dari bulu akar ditinjau terutama dari
perpanjangannya sangat besar dalam penyerapan unsur hara.
Suatu hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa luas permukaan
bulu akar berkisar diantara 88 - 94% dari total luas
permukaan akar, sedang panjang bulu akar lebih dari 99%
dari total panjang akar (Tabel 2.1)
 Pori tanah
Jumlah unsur hara yang diserap tanaman dapat ditaksir dari
proporsi pori tanah yang ditempati akar dan konsentrasi
unsur hara dalam larutan tanah (Tabel 2.2)

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Tabel 2.1 Luas (A) dan panjang (P) akar dan bulu
akar serta volume (V) tanah yang ditempati total
akar dari tiga spesies tanaman

Spesies Akar Vol.Bulu akar

tanaman A (cm2) P (m) A (cm2) P (km) (%)
Oat 22 45,7 162 8,06 0,55
Rye 502 64,0 7677 16,80 0,85
Poa 2141 181,0 15783 51,5 2,80
pratensis

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Tabel 2.2 Taksiran serapan unsur hara dengan
intersepsi pada tanaman jagung
Jenis unsur hara
Parameter
N P K Ca Mg
Jlh dalam tanah (kg/ha)1 300 100 300 4000 750
Jumlah intersepsi 6 2 6 80 15
(kg/ha)2
Kebutuhan jagung 225 45 180 90 60
(kg/ha)3
Tingkat intersepsi %)4 2,6 4,4 3,3 88,9 25,0

Catatan:
1 = taksiran tersedia, 2 = taksiran dengan asumsi 2% ruang pori
tanah ditempati akar, 3 = untuk jagung dengan hasil 2500 kg/ha &
4 = persentase intersepsi dari kebutuhan
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Factors affecting root interception
a. Anything that restricts root growth
i. Dry soil
ii. Compaction
iii. Low soil pH
iv. Poor aeration
v. Root disease, insects, nematodes
vi. High or low soil temperature
b. Root growth is necessary for all three mechanisms of
nutrient supply, but absolutely essential for root
interception to occur

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 Mass Flow
 water absorbed by the root creates
a water deficit near the root,
 more water moves to the root
carrying nutrients with the water.
 Important for nutrients in large
quantities in the soil solution - N, K
& Ca

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 Mass flow occurs when nutrients are transported to the
surface of roots by the movement of water in the soil (i.e.
percolation, transpiration, or evaporation).
 The rate of water flow governs the amount of nutrients that
are transported to the root surface. Therefore, mass flow
decreases are soil water decreases.
 Most of the nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, sulfur,
copper, boron, manganese and molybdenum move to
the root by mass flow.
 Quantity of nutrients transported is proportional to:
i. Rate of flow (volume of water transpired)
ii. Solution concentration of nutrient
 Nutrients supplied primarily by mass flow are considered
mobile nutrients. e.g. N, S, B
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4. Jumlah unsur hara yang terangkut oleh aliran
massa air ini ditentukan oleh volume aliran air dan
konsentrasi unsur hara dalam air
J = VC
J = jumlah unsur hara yang bergerak
melintasi suatu permukaan per satuan
waktu
V = volume aliran air
C = konsentrasi unsur hara dalam air

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Tabel 2.4. Taksiran serapan unsur hara dengan
aliran massa (AM) pada tanaman jagung
Jenis unsur hara
Parameter
N P K Ca Mg
Kons. Dlm larutan 10 0,05 4 30 25
tanah (ppm)
Serapan dg AM 45 0,23 18 135 113
(kg/ha)*
Kebutuhan (kg/ha) 225 45 180 90 60
Kapasitas AM (%) 20 5 10 150 188
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 Contribution of mass flow to nutrient
uptake
Contribution of mass flow
Species (soil) (% of uptake)
N K Mg Ca Na
Sugar beet (L) 100 7 60 640 Nd
Spring wheat (L) 40 4 150 1700 2500
Spring barley (P) 110 130 180 700 610
L = luvisol & P = podzol

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Factors affecting mass flow
a. Soil water content
 Dry soil where there is no nutrient movement

b. Temperature
 Low temperature reduces transpiration and evaporation

c. Size of root system

 Affects water uptake and therefore movement
 Root density much less critical for nutrient supply by mass flow
than for root interception and diffusion

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 Diffusion
1. Diffusion is the main driving force for the
movement at least of phosphorus and
potassium to the root surface
2. In contrast to mass flow, diffusion is an
important process of ion mobility only in
the immediate vicinity of the root
surface and thus is closely related not
only to soil conditions but also to plant
factors such as root growth and root
surface area

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 Diffusion is the movement of a particular nutrient along a
concentration gradient.
 The nutrient will move from an area of higher concentration
to an area of lower concentration. This phenomenon is
observed when adding sugar to water. As the sugar
dissolves, it moves through parts of the water with lower
sugar concentration until it is evenly distributed, or uniformly
concentrated.
 Diffusion delivers appreciable amounts of phosphorus,
potassium, zinc, and iron to the root surface.
 Diffusion is a relatively slow process compared to the mass
flow of nutrients with water movement toward the root.
 Nutrients supplied primarily by diffusion are considered
immobile nutrients e.g. P, K

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 Basic Principle
1. Pergerakan unsur hara
melalui proses difusi
terjadi akibat perbedaan
konsentrasi yang
dipertimbangkan
merupakan peristiwa
dominan dalam
pergerakan ion-ion
seperti NO3-, K+ &
H2PO4- ke permukaan
akar

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2. Jumlah unsur hara yang bergerak dengan
proses difusi dapat ditaksir dengan
persamaan Fick

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Factors affecting diffusion
a. Fick’s law is given as dC/dt = De * A * dC/dX
dC/dt = diffusion rate (change in concentration over time)
De = effective diffusion coefficient
A = cross sectional area for diffusion
dC/dX = concentration gradient (change in concentration over
distance)
 Diffusion rate is directly proportional to concentration gradient,
diffusion coefficient, and the area available for diffusion to occur

b. Effective diffusion coefficient

Effective diffusion coefficient De = Dw * q * (1/T) * (1/b) where
Dw = diffusion coefficient in water
q = volumetric soil water content
T = tortuosity factor
b = soil buffering capacity

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a. Diffusion coefficient in water (Dw)
i. Includes a temperature factor
ii. Colder = slower diffusion

b. Soil water content

i. Drier soil = slower diffusion
ii. Less water = less area to diffuse through

c. Tortuosity (ketidakjujuran/sifat berliku-liku)

i. Pathways through soil are not direct
ii. Around soil particles, through thin water films
iii. Affected by texture and water content
1. More clay = longer diffusion pathway
2. Thinner water films = longer path

d. Buffering capacity
i. Nutrients can be removed by adsorption as they move through
soil, reducing diffusion rate
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c. How far can nutrients diffuse in a growing
season?
a. Diffusion distances are very short
i. K ~ 0.2 cm
ii. P ~ 0.02 cm
b. Size and density of plant root systems is very
important for nutrients supplied by diffusion
c. Has implications for fertilizer placement

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 Thank you
Matur nuwun
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