Which of the following acts as the primary CO ₂ acceptor in the mesophyll cells of Maize?

Step-by-step solution

Maize is a C ₄ plant. In the C ₄ pathway (Hatch-Slack pathway), the primary CO ₂ acceptor is a 3-carbon molecule, Phosphoenol pyruvate (PEP), which is present in the mesophyll cells. The enzyme responsible for this fixation is PEP carboxylase (PEPcase). Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) is the primary acceptor in C ₃ plants. Oxaloacetic acid is the first stable product of C ₄ plants, not the acceptor. 3-Phosphoglyceric acid is the first stable product in C ₃ plants. Answer: Phosphoenol pyruvate