UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
⋄
BOT2603 ASSIGNMENT 02
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry — Semester 1, 2026
⋄
Module Code: BOT2603
Module Name: Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
Student Name: [Your Full Name]
Student Number: [Your Student Number]
Assignment No.: 02
Unique Number: 328472
Due Date: 9 April 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for BOT2603:
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
at the University of South Africa.
, UNISA | BOT2603 Assignment 02 — Semester 1, 2026
Contents
1 Question 1: Terminology, Mycorrhizae, and Humus 2
1.1 1.1 Key Terminology in Plant Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1.1 1.1.1 Essential Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1.2 1.1.2 Carbon Partitioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1.3 1.1.3 Sink Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1.4 1.1.4 Critical Concentration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1.5 1.1.5 Mucigel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2 1.2 Mycorrhizae: Definition, Classes, and Differences . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.3 1.3 Composition and Role of Humus in Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2 Question 2: Mineral Nutrients, Membrane Transport, and Radial Water Move-
ment 7
2.1 2.1 Five Mineral Nutrients in Enzyme Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.2 2.2 Carrier Proteins, Channel Proteins, and ATPase Proton Pumps . . 8
2.3 2.3 Radial Transport of Water and Solutes Through the Root . . . . . . 9
3 Question 3: Chelating Agents and Sucrose Synthesis 11
3.1 3.1 Commercial Chelating Agents and Iron Deficiency in Limy Soils . . 11
3.2 3.2 The Cytosolic Sucrose Synthesis Pathway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Reference List 14
Page 1 of 14
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
⋄
BOT2603 ASSIGNMENT 02
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry — Semester 1, 2026
⋄
Module Code: BOT2603
Module Name: Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
Student Name: [Your Full Name]
Student Number: [Your Student Number]
Assignment No.: 02
Unique Number: 328472
Due Date: 9 April 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for BOT2603:
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
at the University of South Africa.
, UNISA | BOT2603 Assignment 02 — Semester 1, 2026
Contents
1 Question 1: Terminology, Mycorrhizae, and Humus 2
1.1 1.1 Key Terminology in Plant Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1.1 1.1.1 Essential Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1.2 1.1.2 Carbon Partitioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1.3 1.1.3 Sink Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1.4 1.1.4 Critical Concentration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1.5 1.1.5 Mucigel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2 1.2 Mycorrhizae: Definition, Classes, and Differences . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.3 1.3 Composition and Role of Humus in Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2 Question 2: Mineral Nutrients, Membrane Transport, and Radial Water Move-
ment 7
2.1 2.1 Five Mineral Nutrients in Enzyme Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.2 2.2 Carrier Proteins, Channel Proteins, and ATPase Proton Pumps . . 8
2.3 2.3 Radial Transport of Water and Solutes Through the Root . . . . . . 9
3 Question 3: Chelating Agents and Sucrose Synthesis 11
3.1 3.1 Commercial Chelating Agents and Iron Deficiency in Limy Soils . . 11
3.2 3.2 The Cytosolic Sucrose Synthesis Pathway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Reference List 14
Page 1 of 14
