Towards an improved representation of the relationship between root traits and nitrogen losses in process-based models

Huan Liu; Brian B. Grant; Ward N. Smith; Cheryl H. Porter; Davide Cammarano; Iris Vogeler; Gerrit Hoogenboom; Johannes W.M. Pullens; Jørgen E. Olesen; Marco Bindi; Mikhail A. Semenov; Per Abrahamsen; Reimund P. Rötter; Uttam Kumar; Diego Abalos

doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104400

Towards an improved representation of the relationship between root traits and nitrogen losses in process-based models

Huan Liu^*, Brian B. Grant, Ward N. Smith, Cheryl H. Porter, Davide Cammarano, Iris Vogeler, Gerrit Hoogenboom, Johannes W.M. Pullens, Jørgen E. Olesen, Marco Bindi, Mikhail A. Semenov, Per Abrahamsen, Reimund P. Rötter, Uttam Kumar, Diego Abalos

^*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avis › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

Abstract

CONTEXT: Nitrogen (N) application to crops is crucial to feed an increasing world population. Yet, much of this N is not taken up by crops, initiating a cascade of N losses with dire environmental and economic consequences. There is, therefore, a need to develop crops with traits that make them use N more efficiently, thereby reducing N losses. Process-based models have been used to design in-silico crops with desirable traits to maximize yield and increase climate resiliency, but few have been used with the perspective of reducing N losses. OBJECTIVE: To examine the way process-based models capture interactions between root traits and N losses, and propose opportunities to improve model representation of observed relationships. METHODS: We synthesize the current knowledge on the relationships between plant traits and N losses based on experiments reported in the literature, conduct a survey of process-based models simulating crop growth and N losses, and run a sensitivity analysis with selected models (DSSAT, APSIM, DNDCvCAN, Daisy). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the relationships between root traits and N losses can be very strong in experiments, but model simulations do not capture the magnitude of these associations well. This is mainly due to the lack of a robust representation of the plant root mechanisms influencing N losses. Suggested model improvements include designing new functions to link root traits with key N-cycling processes supported by experimental evidence – such as root exudation of various compounds including biological nitrification inhibitors – and using easily observable morphological traits in process-based models as proxies to predict changes induced by plants on N-cycling by soil microbial communities. SIGNIFICANCE: This work represents a key step towards designing novel root function-based ideotypes adapted to reduced fertilizer inputs while maintaining the same level of yield, and that is, therefore, potentially less harmful to the environment.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Artikelnummer	104400
Tidsskrift	Agricultural Systems
Vol/bind	228
ISSN	0308-521X
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104400
Status	Udgivet - aug. 2025

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Liu, H., Grant, B. B., Smith, W. N., Porter, C. H., Cammarano, D., Vogeler, I., Hoogenboom, G., Pullens, J. W. M., Olesen, J. E., Bindi, M., Semenov, M. A., Abrahamsen, P., Rötter, R. P., Kumar, U., & Abalos, D. (2025). Towards an improved representation of the relationship between root traits and nitrogen losses in process-based models. Agricultural Systems, 228, Artikel 104400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104400

@article{9dd51e15c099433c893cbfa81195755d,

title = "Towards an improved representation of the relationship between root traits and nitrogen losses in process-based models",

abstract = "CONTEXT: Nitrogen (N) application to crops is crucial to feed an increasing world population. Yet, much of this N is not taken up by crops, initiating a cascade of N losses with dire environmental and economic consequences. There is, therefore, a need to develop crops with traits that make them use N more efficiently, thereby reducing N losses. Process-based models have been used to design in-silico crops with desirable traits to maximize yield and increase climate resiliency, but few have been used with the perspective of reducing N losses. OBJECTIVE: To examine the way process-based models capture interactions between root traits and N losses, and propose opportunities to improve model representation of observed relationships. METHODS: We synthesize the current knowledge on the relationships between plant traits and N losses based on experiments reported in the literature, conduct a survey of process-based models simulating crop growth and N losses, and run a sensitivity analysis with selected models (DSSAT, APSIM, DNDCvCAN, Daisy). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the relationships between root traits and N losses can be very strong in experiments, but model simulations do not capture the magnitude of these associations well. This is mainly due to the lack of a robust representation of the plant root mechanisms influencing N losses. Suggested model improvements include designing new functions to link root traits with key N-cycling processes supported by experimental evidence – such as root exudation of various compounds including biological nitrification inhibitors – and using easily observable morphological traits in process-based models as proxies to predict changes induced by plants on N-cycling by soil microbial communities. SIGNIFICANCE: This work represents a key step towards designing novel root function-based ideotypes adapted to reduced fertilizer inputs while maintaining the same level of yield, and that is, therefore, potentially less harmful to the environment.",

keywords = "Crop ideotype, NO emissions, Nitrate leaching, Nitrogen pollution, Root characteristics",

author = "Huan Liu and Grant, \{Brian B.\} and Smith, \{Ward N.\} and Porter, \{Cheryl H.\} and Davide Cammarano and Iris Vogeler and Gerrit Hoogenboom and Pullens, \{Johannes W.M.\} and Olesen, \{J{\o}rgen E.\} and Marco Bindi and Semenov, \{Mikhail A.\} and Per Abrahamsen and R{\"o}tter, \{Reimund P.\} and Uttam Kumar and Diego Abalos",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s)",

year = "2025",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104400",

language = "English",

volume = "228",

journal = " Agricultural Systems",

issn = "0308-521X",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

}

Liu, H, Grant, BB, Smith, WN, Porter, CH, Cammarano, D , Vogeler, I, Hoogenboom, G, Pullens, JWM , Olesen, JE, Bindi, M, Semenov, MA, Abrahamsen, P, Rötter, RP, Kumar, U & Abalos, D 2025, 'Towards an improved representation of the relationship between root traits and nitrogen losses in process-based models', Agricultural Systems, bind 228, 104400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104400

TY - JOUR

T1 - Towards an improved representation of the relationship between root traits and nitrogen losses in process-based models

AU - Liu, Huan

AU - Grant, Brian B.

AU - Smith, Ward N.

AU - Porter, Cheryl H.

AU - Cammarano, Davide

AU - Vogeler, Iris

AU - Hoogenboom, Gerrit

AU - Pullens, Johannes W.M.

AU - Olesen, Jørgen E.

AU - Bindi, Marco

AU - Semenov, Mikhail A.

AU - Abrahamsen, Per

AU - Rötter, Reimund P.

AU - Kumar, Uttam

AU - Abalos, Diego

PY - 2025/8

Y1 - 2025/8

N2 - CONTEXT: Nitrogen (N) application to crops is crucial to feed an increasing world population. Yet, much of this N is not taken up by crops, initiating a cascade of N losses with dire environmental and economic consequences. There is, therefore, a need to develop crops with traits that make them use N more efficiently, thereby reducing N losses. Process-based models have been used to design in-silico crops with desirable traits to maximize yield and increase climate resiliency, but few have been used with the perspective of reducing N losses. OBJECTIVE: To examine the way process-based models capture interactions between root traits and N losses, and propose opportunities to improve model representation of observed relationships. METHODS: We synthesize the current knowledge on the relationships between plant traits and N losses based on experiments reported in the literature, conduct a survey of process-based models simulating crop growth and N losses, and run a sensitivity analysis with selected models (DSSAT, APSIM, DNDCvCAN, Daisy). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the relationships between root traits and N losses can be very strong in experiments, but model simulations do not capture the magnitude of these associations well. This is mainly due to the lack of a robust representation of the plant root mechanisms influencing N losses. Suggested model improvements include designing new functions to link root traits with key N-cycling processes supported by experimental evidence – such as root exudation of various compounds including biological nitrification inhibitors – and using easily observable morphological traits in process-based models as proxies to predict changes induced by plants on N-cycling by soil microbial communities. SIGNIFICANCE: This work represents a key step towards designing novel root function-based ideotypes adapted to reduced fertilizer inputs while maintaining the same level of yield, and that is, therefore, potentially less harmful to the environment.

AB - CONTEXT: Nitrogen (N) application to crops is crucial to feed an increasing world population. Yet, much of this N is not taken up by crops, initiating a cascade of N losses with dire environmental and economic consequences. There is, therefore, a need to develop crops with traits that make them use N more efficiently, thereby reducing N losses. Process-based models have been used to design in-silico crops with desirable traits to maximize yield and increase climate resiliency, but few have been used with the perspective of reducing N losses. OBJECTIVE: To examine the way process-based models capture interactions between root traits and N losses, and propose opportunities to improve model representation of observed relationships. METHODS: We synthesize the current knowledge on the relationships between plant traits and N losses based on experiments reported in the literature, conduct a survey of process-based models simulating crop growth and N losses, and run a sensitivity analysis with selected models (DSSAT, APSIM, DNDCvCAN, Daisy). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the relationships between root traits and N losses can be very strong in experiments, but model simulations do not capture the magnitude of these associations well. This is mainly due to the lack of a robust representation of the plant root mechanisms influencing N losses. Suggested model improvements include designing new functions to link root traits with key N-cycling processes supported by experimental evidence – such as root exudation of various compounds including biological nitrification inhibitors – and using easily observable morphological traits in process-based models as proxies to predict changes induced by plants on N-cycling by soil microbial communities. SIGNIFICANCE: This work represents a key step towards designing novel root function-based ideotypes adapted to reduced fertilizer inputs while maintaining the same level of yield, and that is, therefore, potentially less harmful to the environment.

KW - Crop ideotype

KW - NO emissions

KW - Nitrate leaching

KW - Nitrogen pollution

KW - Root characteristics

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105006669095&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104400

DO - 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104400

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:105006669095

SN - 0308-521X

VL - 228

JO - Agricultural Systems

JF - Agricultural Systems

M1 - 104400

ER -

Towards an improved representation of the relationship between root traits and nitrogen losses in process-based models

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