WAEC Agricultural Science 2006 past questions and answers

The problem of land availability for agriculture can be solved by

1. A.compulsory acquisition of all pieces of land in dispute
2. B.enacting laws to regulate access to land
3. C.creating more land through land reclamation
4. D.collecting land rent from prospective farmers

Wastage of agricultural produce may not be worsened by

1. A.poor transportation
2. B.land fragmentation
3. C.inadequate storage facilities
4. D.inadequate processing facilities

The replacement of traditional farming methods with modern methods is a step in agricultural

1. A.expansion
2. B.education
3. C.development
4. D.diversification

Which of the following statements is not an impediment to the development of agriculture in West Africa?

1. A.Teeming population of insect pests
2. B.Aggressive agricultural extension
3. C.Chaotic marketing systems
4. D.Pollution of the environment

Which of the following statements is not correct about Land Use Act?

1. A.Land cannot be used for any purpose
2. B.Government has control over unused land
3. C.It does not lead to land fragmentation
4. D.It aims at re-allocation of land for farming purposes

The difference between subsidy and loan is that subsidy

1. A.is a short term credit while loan is a long term credit
2. B.is a medium term credit while loan is short term credit
3. C.requires a collateral while a loan does not
4. D.is not refundable while a loan is refundable

Which of the following statements best describes subsistence agriculture?

1. A.The rearing of animals only
2. B.Small scale production of crops and livestock
3. C.Raising of crops and animals for sale
4. D.Use of machines in agricultural production

The main aim of wildlife management is to

1. A.prevent extinction of species
2. B.provide lots of cheap protein
3. C.generate foreign exchange through exportation of meat
4. D.reduce the population of trypanosome parasites.

Which of the following groups of crops will perform better in the savanna zone of West Africa?

1. A.Cotton, millet and groundnut
2. B.Cotton, coffee and cocoa
3. C.Tobacco, sorghum and banana
4. D.Sorghum, millet and oil-palm

The largest kolanut producing vegetation zone in West Africa is the

1. A.sahel savanna
2. B.sudan savanna
3. C.derived savanna
4. D.mangrove swamp

Which of the following processes does not lead to the physical disintegration of rocks? The

1. A.heating and cooling of rock surfaces
2. B.expansion and contraction of rock minerals
3. C.formation of cracks and crevices in the rocks
4. D.rapid cooling and solidification of rocks

The two main elements of climate which affect soil formation are

1. A.rainfall and temperature
2. B.rainfall and air
3. C.temperature and light
4. D.wind and relative humidity

Soil erosion caused by water can be controlled by

1. A.overgrazing and bush burning
2. B.ploughing and harrowing
3. C.land clearing and stumping
4. D.afforestation and erection of bunds.

Although clayey soils are rich in nutrients, they are not good for most agricultural crop production because they

1. A.do not release their nutrients
2. B.are too compact and poorly aerated
3. C.lose their nutrients too readily after rains
4. D.contain too much iron, aluminium and boron.

The plant nutrient essential for the formation of tubers is

1. A.molybdenum
2. B.phosphorus
3. C.potassium
4. D.sodium

A fertilizer bag had the following inscription 27:10:10. This means that it contained

1. A.27kg of nitrogen, 10kg of phosphate, 10kg of potash
2. B.27kg of phosphate 10kg of potash, 10 kg of nitrogen
3. C.27kg of potash, 10kg of nitrogen, 10kg of phosphate
4. D.27kg of sulphate, 10kg of potash, 10kg of phosphate

Which of the following farming practices encourages soil degradation?

1. A.Fertilizer application
2. B.Bush burning
3. C.Cover cropping
4. D.Fungicide application

Irrigation water is passed underneath the soil through

1. A.sprinklers
2. B.canals
3. C.drips
4. D.pipes

A good draught bull should not have

1. A.a deep barrel
2. B.a slopy rump
3. C.long legs
4. D.strong hooves

Which of the following sources of farm power generates highest amount of energy?

1. A.Human power
2. B.Wind power
3. C.Animal power
4. D.Mechanical power

A spade is mainly used for

1. A.weeding
2. B.pruning
3. C.planting
4. D.digging

The function of the scraper on a disc plough is to

1. A.scrape the top soil
2. B.remove adhering soil from the disc
3. C.open the furrow
4. D.balance the plough

Post-harvest equipment include

1. A.sheller and dryer
2. B.groundnut lifter and thresher
3. C.combine and forage harvesters
4. D.sheller and combine harvester

Which of the following is not a survey equipment?

1. A.Cross staff
2. B.Prismatic compass
3. C.Offset poles
4. D.Telescope

Which of the following sequence of pre-planting operations is correct?

1. A.Bush clearing, farm layout, burning and stumping
2. B.Stumping, bush clearing, farm layout and burning
3. C.Burning, farm layout, clearing and stumping
4. D.Bush clearing, burning, stumping and farm layout

A plant not normally used as green manure is

1. A.Mucuna utilis
2. B.Sida acuta
3. C.Centrosema pubescens
4. D.Pueraria phaseoloides

Which of the following agronomic practices is not applicable to rice production?

1. A.Threshing
2. B.Transplanting
3. C.Staking
4. D.Puddling

To which of the following survey equipment is a piece of red cloth tied when it is being used?

1. A.Cross staff
2. B.Plumb bob
3. C.Gunter's chain
4. D.Arrow

Which of the following is not a leguminous forage crop?

1. A.Centrosema pubescens
2. B.Panicum maximum
3. C.Stylosanthes gracilis
4. D.Pueraria phaseoloides

Which of the following will not be a reason for afforestation?

1. A.Population pressure
2. B.Soil fertility conservation
3. C.Wildlife conservation
4. D.Prevention of natural hazard

Which of the following is a symptom of black-pod disease of Cacao?

1. A.Diseased leaves fall prematurely
2. B.Characteristic swellings appear on young stems and roots
3. C.A small brown spot first appears on the pod
4. D.Veins of diseased leaves become red in colour

Which of the following insect groups readily attacks dry grains?

1. A.Boring insects
2. B.Biting insects
3. C.Sucking insects
4. D.Piercing insects

Rosette disease of groundnut is transmitted by

1. A.an eelworm
2. B.a grasshopper
3. C.a whitefly
4. D.an aphid

The control of spear grass on the farm is difficult because

1. A.it produces a large quantity of seeds
2. B.it is easily propagated by suckers
3. C.it has a very persistent rhizome
4. D.seeds persist in the soil for a long time

The use of fungal pathogens to control dodder weed is a

1. A.physical method
2. B.mechanical method
3. C.biological method
4. D.cultural method

Hybrid vigour in crop improvement is brought about through

1. A.introduction
2. B.mass selection
3. C.inbreeding
4. D.cross breeding

Which of the following structures is not a part of the digestive tract of pigs?

1. A.Oesophagus
2. B.Proventriculus
3. C.Duodenum
4. D.Colon

The urethra in the male animal is described as a urinogenital duct because it

1. A.opens to the outside through the penis
2. B.is attached to the accessory sex glands
3. C.is a common pathway for urine and sperms
4. D.is the site for the storage of sperms

The act of giving birth in farm animals is called

1. A.hatching
2. B.laying
3. C.parturition
4. D.gestation

Iodine is normally applied to the severed umbilical cord of a piglet so as to

1. A.supply iodine needed by the piglets for growth
2. B.reduce maturity period
3. C.prevent the entry of micro-organisms into the piglet
4. D.produce pigs without much abdominal fat.

Broilers are generally marketed at the age of

1. A.4 – 6 weeks
2. B.8 – 10 weeks
3. C.17 – 19 weeks
4. D.20 – 22 weeks

The process of removing a young animal from its mother is referred to as

1. A.culling
2. B.breeding
3. C.weaning
4. D.isolation

Which of the following classes of poultry feeds has the highest protein content?

1. A.Chicks mash
2. B.Growers mash
3. C.Layers mash
4. D.Broiler starter

The vitamin which is essential for the growth of spermatozoa in males and the development of the foetus in females is

1. A.Vitamin A
2. B.Vitamin D
3. C.Vitamin E
4. D.Vitamin K

The sequence of events in the reproductive process of a dairy animal is

1. A.lactation, parturition, gestation and copulation
2. B.parturition, copulation, lactation and gestation
3. C.gestation, lactation, parturition and copulation
4. D.copulation, gestation, parturition and lactation.

An unproductive animal permanently removed from a productive stock is said to be

1. A.quarantined
2. B.culled
3. C.isolated
4. D.disposed

Voiding of blood stained droppings by birds is a symptom of

1. A.fowl cholera
2. B.Coccidiosis
3. C.Newcastle disease
4. D.fowl typhoid

Nagana in cattle is otherwise known as

1. A.Trypanosomiasis
2. B.Babiosis
3. C.Ascariasis
4. D.Fascioliasis

Government ensures continuous availability of fish through

1. A.fishing regulations
2. B.fish marketing
3. C.fish feeding
4. D.fish processing

Which of the following factors is not considered in selecting fish for stocking?

1. A.Marketability of the species
2. B.Ease of caring for fingerlings
3. C.Colour of the fingerlings
4. D.Ability of being reared in captivity

When different breeds of animals are mated, the process is known as

1. A.crossbreeding
2. B.in-breeding
3. C.out-breeding
4. D.line breeding

The advantages derived from the efficient combination of factors of production in agriculture include the following except

1. A.reduced production cost
2. B.increased production cost
3. C.increased profit margins
4. D.increased gross revenue

When a change in price brings no change in demand, the situation is described as

1. A.perfectly inelastic
2. B.perfectly elastic
3. C.fairly inelastic
4. D.fairly elastic.

A farmer purchased a sprayer for ₦12,500 in 1974, at the end of the fourth year; he sold it for ₦4,300. The total depreciation is

1. A.₦16,800
2. B.₦8,200
3. C.₦7,250
4. D.₦820

A farmer purchased a sprayer for ₦12,500 in 1974, at the end of the fourth year; he sold it for ₦4,300. The salvage value is

1. A.₦1,075
2. B.₦2,150
3. C.₦4,300
4. D.₦8,400

A farmer purchased a sprayer for ₦12,500 in 1974, at the end of the fourth year; he sold it for ₦4,300. The annual depreciation of the equipment is

1. A.₦33,600
2. B.₦20,050
3. C.₦2,050
4. D.₦2,005

Agricultural information flows from

1. A.research institutes through the extension officer to the farmer
2. B.farmer to research institutes and to the extension officer
3. C.extension officer to farmer and finally to the research institutes
4. D.research institutes to farmer and to the extension officer

(a) State three characteristics of agricultural non-governmental organizations.
(b) State five objectives of each of the following: (i) West African Rice Development Agency; (ii) International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
(c) Mention three other non-governmental organizations involved in agricultural development.

(a) Define the term farmstead
(b) List four factors to be considered in planning a farmstead
(c) Explain the importance of the factors listed in (b) above
(d) Give two reasons for planning a farmstead

(a) List four asexual methods of crop propagation.
(b) Define the following terms: (i) mixed farming; (ii) inter-cropping; (iii) ley farming.
(c) State four advantages of each of mixed farming and inter-cropping.

(a) Draw an annotated diagram of a water cycle.
(b) State six importance of water to crops.
(c) State four ways of conserving water in the soil.

(a) List four ways by which diseases are spread on a crop farm.
(b) State three symptoms and three control measures of each of the following diseases: (i) onion twister; (ii) root-knot of tomato

(a) Define an insecticide.
(b) List four groups of insecticides.
(c) For each of the following pests, name the class of pesticide used for their control: (i) grasshoppers; (ii) rats; (iii) weaver birds; (iv) eelworms
(d) Enumerate two effects of each of the following pest control measures on the environment: (i) chemical; (ii) cultural; (iii) biological.

(a) Explain the term candling in chicks production.
(b) Write notes on the intensive method of managing poultry under the following headings: (i) sanitation; (ii) feeding.
(c) List six breeds of pigs.

(a) With the aid of an annotated diagram, describe the life cycle of the liver-fluke (Fasciola hepatica).
(b) Explain how you will prevent the liver-fluke from completing its life cycle in the field.
(c) List three effects of lice on animal production.

(a) State five reasons why farm accounts are kept.