ABSTRACT
Analysis of gene expression is detailed in S. Faure-Rabasse et al. and N. Beuve et al. Data from field experiments were extracted from results published by C. Noquet et al. and Philippe Malagoli et al. A mechanistic single-root model that explains nitrate uptake of plants mainly based on Nitrate (NO3-) concentration around the root system was developed. The proposed thermal time-step model simulates total NO3- uptake by rape crops from the root transport processes formalized by kinetic equations of the different NO3- transport systems involved in nitrogen (N) uptake. Crop-level models have already been built to predict N uptake and dynamics in winter oilseed rape. Because of its widespread use in human and animal-centered food industry and more recently as a biofuel, the area of winter oilseed rape culture has greatly increased in Northern Europe, especially in France, and in China. From an agronomical viewpoint, Brassica napus L. is commonly cycled in cereal crop rotations as a valuable break crop.
