OpenSimRoot: widening the scope and application of root architectural models

Area of Science:

• Plant Biology
• Computational Biology
• Ecology

Background:

• Root system architecture, nutrient acquisition, and plant growth are critical for plant survival and crop yield.
• Accurate modeling of root systems is essential for understanding plant responses to environmental conditions and for improving agricultural practices.
• Existing models often lack the flexibility to upscale from root anatomy to plant communities or integrate diverse data types.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and describe OpenSimRoot, an open-source functional-structural plant model for root growth and function.
• To highlight OpenSimRoot's modular infrastructure and its capability to couple with soil transport models.
• To demonstrate OpenSimRoot's utility in estimating the value of root traits for resource acquisition and in upscaling to plant communities.

Main Methods:

• OpenSimRoot extends the SimRoot model with a plugin, modular infrastructure.
• Couples single plant/crop stands with soil nutrient and water transport models.
• Integrates 3D root imaging (MRI, CT) and incorporates new modules for water uptake, tiller formation, and plasticity.

Main Results:

• OpenSimRoot estimates the value of root traits for water and nutrient acquisition across species and environments.
• The model facilitates upscaling from root anatomy to plant communities to analyze trait costs, synergisms, and interspecies competition.
• New modules enable simulation of soil water-dependent processes, tiller development, and root growth plasticity.

Conclusions:

• OpenSimRoot provides a flexible and powerful tool for the plant science community to study root system dynamics.
• The model supports experimental design by integrating phenotypic and environmental data for mechanistic understanding at system scales.
• OpenSimRoot advances root modeling by enabling detailed simulations from anatomical to community levels.