Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Plants require essential mineral nutrients to carry out vital physiological and biochemical processes.
Each nutrient serves as a structural component, metabolic activator, or catalytic constituent of specific enzymes.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us match the plant physiological functions with their corresponding nutrient elements:
- (A). Nitrogenase & nitrogen reductase enzymes: Molybdenum (\(\text{Mo}\)) is a crucial transition metal constituent of the iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMo-co) at the catalytic site of nitrogenase, which fixes atmospheric dinitrogen.
It is also a core component of nitrate reductase, which reduces nitrate to nitrite.
Thus, (A) matches with (III).
- (B). Component of urease enzymes: Nickel (\(\text{Ni}\)) is an essential micronutrient that serves as the active metal cofactor in the metalloenzyme urease, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide.
Thus, (B) matches with (IV).
- (C). Energy transfer: Phosphorus (\(\text{P}\)) is a key constituent of energy-rich compounds like Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP), which drive cellular metabolism.
Thus, (C) matches with (I).
- (D). Constituent of Chlorophyll: Magnesium (\(\text{Mg}\)) is the central coordinating metal atom in the porphyrin ring of the chlorophyll molecule, essential for light absorption during photosynthesis.
Thus, (D) matches with (II).
This gives the matching sequence: (A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II).
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct matching sequence is (A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II).