Mobilization of mineral nutrients in the rhizosphere

Abstract

Nutrient mobilization in the rhizosphere is reviewed with special reference to root-induced changes in the rhizosphere in response to suboptimal nutrient supply to plants. Examples include the effect of N form on rhizosphere pH and concn of mineral nutrients in shoots of Phaseolus vulgaris, the effect of Fe deficiency on chickpeas and P deficiency on Lupinus albus, the release of phytosiderophores by Fe-sufficient and Fe-deficient barley, oats, maize and sorghum and the effect of Zn nutritional status on the release of organic solutes by roots of cotton, apple and wheat. The effect of non-infecting and infecting rhizosphere microorganisms on the mobilization and mineralization of mineral nutrients is considered with reference to the effect of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizas on maize growth.