Question

Match List-I with List-II.

Theory proposed	Thinker/Name of Theory, etc.
(A) Root interception	(I) Bray, R.H. (1954)
(B) Law of diffusion	(II) Cate and Nelson (1965)
(C) Mobility concept	(III) Jenny and Overstreet (1939)
(D) Critical limit	(IV) Fick's (1885)

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• (A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II)
• (A) - (II), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (III)
• (A) - (III), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II)
• (A) - (IV), (B) - (III), (C) - (II), (D) - (I)

Hint:

Recall which researcher is linked to each nutrient uptake mechanism.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This match question links four ideas about how nutrients move from soil to root with the scientists who proposed them.

Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Recall that soil science recognizes three main mechanisms of nutrient movement to roots, mass flow, diffusion and root interception, and that separate researchers are credited with the theory or method behind each related idea listed here.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
(A) Root interception is the idea that roots pick up nutrients simply by growing into direct contact with soil particles and exchanging ions at that contact surface. This contact exchange theory was put forward by Jenny and Overstreet in 1939, so (A) matches (III).
(B) Law of diffusion describes nutrients moving from a zone of high concentration near the soil particle to a zone of low concentration near the root, following a concentration gradient. This is governed by Fick's law, referenced here as 1885, so (B) matches (IV).
(C) Mobility concept refers to grouping nutrients by how easily they move through soil to reach the root, a classification credited to Bray in 1954, so (C) matches (I).
(D) Critical limit refers to the soil test value below which a crop responds to added nutrient, tied to the graphical method developed by Cate and Nelson in 1965 for splitting soil test data into deficient and sufficient groups, so (D) matches (II).
Putting all four pairs together gives (A)-(III), (B)-(IV), (C)-(I), (D)-(II).

Step 4: Final Answer:
This combination corresponds to option 1.