Question

What would lowering the pH of the environment do to the plant enzymes? Would they still function as efficiently as before? Could this influence plant growth?

Answer 1

As the pH decreases enzyme activity also decreases. As pH decreases concentration of hydrogen ion increases that led to environment become more acidic . It causes active site no more complementary to substrate molecule , change in shape of active site , and the reaction cannot be catalysed by the enzyme . Extremely low pH result in complete loss of most enzyme activity .

Ofcurse efficiency will keep on decreasing until or unless they stop working . Because each enzyme has optimum pH ( point where enzyme is most active ) value , changing this value led to change in enzyme activity or may lead to denature .

Low pH results in release of aluminium not the plant nutrients from soil that stunt the plant growth and interfere nutrient uptake . Minerals are present in low pH soil that harm the plant led to poor development and fruiting .