In this review, we analyze how the acquisition of resources, e.g. carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), and the distribution of assimilates between plant organs is described by common agricultural crop growth models. We consider agricultural crop growth models that are integrated into larger agro-ecosystem or agricultural soilplant-atmosphere system models. These system models are developed to simulate not only plant growth processes but also energy and matter fluxes between atmosphere and soil including decomposition of plant residues and C- and N-turnover of soil organic matter. Within the crop models different approaches are used to up-scale eco-physiological processes from the plant-organ level to the plant and canopy level, they are discussed with respect to data requirement and adequate representation of resource acquisition. Considering mainly trees, basic concepts used to model assimilate partitioning in plants have been classified as empirical, teleonomic, based on source-sink relations or based on transport and transformation processes. Application of these concepts in agricultural crop models are presented and examined. Moreover, a survey of modeling approaches is given that consider the impact of different kinds of biotic and abiotic stresses on partitioning in crop growth models.