Roots of which of these plants contain a pigment which creates an anaerobic condition for a specific enzyme to function ?

Options

A. Carrot
B. Soybean
C. Mustard
D. Radish

Answer

To solve the question, we need to identify which plant's roots contain a pigment that creates an anaerobic condition for a specific enzyme to function. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of the solution:

### Step 1: Understand the Concept of Anaerobic Conditions
Anaerobic conditions refer to an environment that lacks oxygen. Certain enzymes, like nitrogenase, which is involved in nitrogen fixation, require anaerobic conditions to function properly because they are sensitive to oxygen.

**Hint:** Remember that some enzymes need specific conditions to work effectively, and oxygen can inhibit their function.

### Step 2: Identify the Specific Enzyme
The enzyme we are focusing on is nitrogenase. This enzyme is crucial for the process of nitrogen fixation, which converts atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants can use.

**Hint:** Think about the role of nitrogenase and why it is important for plants, especially legumes.

### Step 3: Recognize the Role of the Pigment
The pigment that creates anaerobic conditions is called leghemoglobin. It acts as an oxygen scavenger, binding to oxygen and preventing it from interfering with the nitrogenase enzyme.

**Hint:** Consider which plants are known to have leghemoglobin and how it helps in nitrogen fixation.

### Step 4: Identify the Plants Listed
The question provides four options: Carrot, Soybean, Mustard, and Radish. We need to determine which of these plants is a legume and has roots that contain leghemoglobin.

**Hint:** Recall that legumes are a specific family of plants known for their ability to fix nitrogen through symbiotic relationships with bacteria.

### Step 5: Determine the Correct Answer
Among the options, soybean is a legume. It forms a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (like Rhizobium) and contains leghemoglobin in its roots, which creates the necessary anaerobic conditions for nitrogenase to function.

**Final Answer:** The correct option is **Soybean**.

### Summary of Steps:
1. Understand anaerobic conditions.
2. Identify nitrogenase as the specific enzyme.
3. Recognize leghemoglobin's role in creating anaerobic conditions.
4. Analyze the provided plant options.
5. Conclude that soybean is the correct answer.