Abstract |
Uptake, transport, and accumulation of organic chemicals by plants are influenced by characteristics of the plant and properties of the chemical, soil, and environmental conditions. A mathematical model for uptake of organic chemicals by plants was calibrated by application to data from experiments in which the uptake of bromacil (C6H13BrN2O2) by soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) plants was measured. The model was initially formulated by defining a generic plant as a set of adjacent compartments representing the major pools and pathways involved in transport and accumulation of water solutes. For this application the plant consists of one root, three stem, and three leaf compartments, with each compartment being subdivided into xylem, phloem, and storage. The model was calibrated with respect to storage coefficients that quantify rate of transport to and from storage. The model satisfactorily predicted the observed uptake and distribution patterns for bromacil in soybean plants at the stage of growth and under the environmental conditions of the experiments. |