Simulating carbon and nitrogen patterns using an integrated model of wheat functioning

Based on a mechanistic approach, the CN-Wheat model simulates the fluxes of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) metabolites in wheat plants after anthesis. Barillot et al. show that the CN-Wheat model can be used to predict allocation and dynamics of C and N resources among culm organs in conjunction with observations from field experiments.

CN-Wheat also provides insights into how depletion of mobile metabolites caused by grain filling ultimately results in the cessation of resource capture. CN-Wheat appears to be an appropriate model with which to investigate and reveal the myriad functions of integrated plant behaviour.