Models of the root system architecture are useful tools for studying the plant soil system, and many of these models have been published during the last decades. They capture several specific and interesting characteristics: (i) they simulate both the structure and spatial distribution of the root system; (ii) they allow a straightforward integration of developmental processes at the root level (e. g. elongation, branching) and their interaction with soil properties; (iii) they enable the simulation of root shoot communication via plant resources or signals. Though, few of them have been integrated into larger crop models, probably because they are not simple enough, too specific of given species or young stages, and many of them do not have an explicit connection to the shoot system and the soil. This modelling approach is an attempt to face these drawbacks. The model is built for being as generic and simple as possible, with a low number of plant parameters (only 11). It allows the root system of various plants to be simulated in relation to the soil medium and to the availability of carbon resources provided by the shoot system. It is therefore a means for studying multiple genetic and environmental interactions in a very complex system. Several examples are given to illustrate from which data this model can be calibrated and its ability to represent some of the soil-plant interactions.