Question

Tabulate any four differences between C3 and C4 plants.

Answer 1

In C3 plants, the initial product is 3-phosphoglycerate with 3 carbon atoms. These plants are also known as temperate plants. These plants reduce carbon dioxide directly in the chloroplast.C4 plants are plants that cycle carbon dioxide to 4-carbon sugar compounds in order to enter the C3 or the Calvin cycle.

Complete answer:

C3 Plants	C4 Plants
The first stable intermediate product is 3- carbon acid:- phosphoglyceric acid(PGA).	The first stable intermediate product is a 4 carbon acid:- oxaloacetate (OAA).
Photosynthetic functions occur only in mesophyll cells – on the surface of the leaves	Photosynthetic functions occur in mesophyll and bundle sheath cells.
C3 requires cool and wet environments.	C4 requires tropical and dry environments.
95% of the green plants are C3 plants.	5% of the green plants are C4 plants.
Examples include rice, wheat, oats, barley, cotton, sugar beets, soybeans, and spinach	Examples include Maize, Sugarcane, pearl millet, and sorghum.
C3 Plants are common in temperate climates.	C4 plants are common in tropical climates.
C3 plants exhibit a granal type of chloroplast.	C4 plants exhibit both types of the chloroplast, granal as well as agranal.
Carbon dioxide fixation occurs only once.	Carbon dioxide fixation occurs twice.
Leaves lack Kranz anatomy.	Leaves possess Kranz anatomy.
The optimum temperature for photosynthesis is comparatively lower than that of C4 plants.	The optimum temperature for photosynthesis is higher than C3 plants.
C3 photosynthesis is the oldest and the most common .	C4 photosynthesis is a recent phenomenon, emerging after C3 photosynthesis.
Photorespiration is not suppressed	Photorespiration is suppressed
Carbon dioxide fixation is slow.	Carbon dioxide fixation is faster.
Photosynthesis occurs when stomata are open	Photosynthesis occurs even when stomata are closed.

Note: The C3 pathway is also called the Calvin pathway. The C4 pathway is also gone by the name the Hatch -Slack pathway. In C3 plants, the first product of photosynthesis is a 3 carbon compound i.e., phosphoglyceric acid (PGA) whereas in C4 plants, plants where the first product of photosynthesis is a 4 carbon compound i.e., oxaloacetic acid (OAA).