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Plant species differ in nutrient uptake efficiency. With a pot experiment, we evaluated potassium (K) uptake efficiency of maize (Zea mays L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) grown on a low-K soil. Sugar beet and wheat maintained higher shoot K concentrations, indicating higher K uptake efficiency. Wheat acquired more K because of a greater root length to shoot dry weight ratio. Sugar beet accumulated more shoot K as a result of a 3-to 4-fold higher K influx as compared to wheat and maize, respectively. Nutrient uptake model NST 3.0 closely predicted K influx when 250 mg K kg −1 were added to the soil, but under-predicted K influx under low K supply. Sensitivity analysis showed that increasing soil solution K concentration (C Li ) by a factor of 1.6-3.5 or buffer power (b) 10-to 50-fold resulted in 100% prediction of K influx. When both maximum influx (I max ) and b were increased by a factor of 2.5 in maize and wheat and 25 in sugar beet, the model could predict measured K influx 100%. In general, the parameter changes affected mostly calculated K influx of root hairs, demonstrating their possible important role in plant K efficiency.

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