Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
To match the characteristic with the fruit correctly, we must analyze the botanical structures, systematic classification, and post-harvest physiology of different fruit crops.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us pair each characteristic from List-I with the corresponding fruit in List-II:
- (A) Fleshy peduncle $\rightarrow$ Cashew (I): In cashew (Anacardium occidentale), the actual fruit is the kidney-shaped nut.
The swollen, fleshy, juicy pear-shaped structure (the cashew apple) is an accessory fruit formed by the modification of the peduncle and receptacle.
- (B) Non climacteric $\rightarrow$ Pomegranate (II): Non-climacteric fruits do not show a rapid rise in respiration rate or ethylene production after harvest.
Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a classic non-climacteric fruit that must be harvested only when fully ripe.
- (C) Drupe $\rightarrow$ Mango (III): A drupe is a simple fleshy fruit with a stony endocarp surrounding a single seed.
Mango (Mangifera indica) belongs to this category.
- (D) Synconium $\rightarrow$ Fig (IV): A synconium is a composite/multiple fruit characteristic of the genus Ficus.
It is formed from a hollow, fleshy, flask-shaped receptacle lined with numerous tiny internal flowers.
This results in the matching sequence: (A)-(I), (B)-(II), (C)-(III), (D)-(IV).
This matches Option (A).
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct matching sequence is (A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (III), (D) - (IV).