Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Many plants produce anti-nutritional factors or secondary metabolites that can be toxic or reduce nutrient absorption when consumed by humans or livestock.
Reducing the levels of these phytochemicals is a key goal in plant breeding.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Let us match each phytochemical with its source crop:
- (A). Erucic acid: This is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid that can be toxic to cardiac muscle at high concentrations.
It is found in high amounts in the seed oil of rapeseed and mustard species, which belong to the genus Brassica (Brassica spp), matching (III).
Breeding efforts have developed "double-low" canola varieties with very low erucic acid levels.
- (B). Kunitz trypsin inhibitor: This is an anti-nutritional protein that inhibits the digestive enzyme trypsin, reducing protein digestibility.
It is found in soybeans (Glycine max), matching (I).
- (C). BOAA: \(\beta\)-N-oxalyl-L-\(\alpha\),\(\beta\)-diaminopropionic acid (also called ODAP) is a neurotoxin.
It is found in grass pea (Lathyrus sativus), matching (IV).
Consuming large amounts of grass pea can cause lathyrism, a neurological disease characterized by paralysis of the lower limbs.
- (D). Phytic acid: This compound stores phosphorus in plant seeds. It acts as an anti-nutrient by binding to minerals like iron and zinc, reducing their absorption.
It is found in cereal grains, including maize (Zea mays), matching (II).
This gives the matching: (A) - (III), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II).
Step 4: Final Answer:
The correct match is Option (C).