Multiple scale homogenisation of nutrient movement and crop growth in partially saturated soil (Q2008241)

The authors present a runtime efficient approach, based on multiple scale homogenisation, for the deriving of macroscale equations for describing the movement of nutrients in soil. The model specifically analysed focuses on the growth of potato tubers in partially saturated soil. Following an introduction of existing mathematical modelling, and an overview of homogenisation approaches, the theoretical background of the method is described in detail. The authors focus on the characteristics of three-phase poroelastic soils, the equations that describe the diffusion of nutrients in soils and the direct application of boundary conditions accompanied by parameter estimation and homogenisation. The results observed with this improved model differ by less than 2.