WAEC Agricultural Science 2017 past questions and answers

The branch of agriculture which deals with the production of fruits is called

1. A.pomology.
2. B.floriculture.
3. C.olericulture.
4. D.nematology.

One advantage of cooperative farming is that it

1. A.allows farmers to have small and scattered plots.
2. B.enables individual farmers to acquire loans from the banks.
3. C.enables farmers to raise needed capital.
4. D.facilitates the use of local tools.

Which of the following statements is not a problem associated with land tenure system through inheritance?

1. A.Family members have small land holdings
2. B.Family members have right to free use of land
3. C.Non-family members cannot inherit land
4. D.Farm mechanization is restricted

A farmland measures 50 m×50 m. Determine its area in hectares.

1. A.25 ha.
2. B.2.5 ha.
3. C.0.25 ha.
4. D.0.025 ha.

Study the illustration of farm implements below.
The part of the implements labelled I is called

1. A.disc.
2. B.beam.
3. C.disc scraper.
4. D.plough share.

Study the illustration of farm implements below.
The part of the implements which makes horizontal cuts into the soil and uproots weeds is labelled as

1. A.I.
2. B.II.
3. C.III.
4. D.IV.

Study the illustration of farm implements below.
The function of the part labelled II is to

1. A.make horizontal cuts into the soil.
2. B.make vertical cuts into the soil.
3. C.roll over obstacles.
4. D.remove soil from the disc.

Study the illustration of farm implements below.
Which of the labelled parts provides balance to the implement?

1. A.I
2. B.II
3. C.III
4. D.IV

A farming system in which different types of crops are grown in succession, in a definite order on the same piece of land is termed

1. A.mixed farming.
2. B.land rotation.
3. C.continuous cropping.
4. D.crop rotation.

Land use for agriculture in West Africa is influenced by the following factors except

1. A.population density.
2. B.topography.
3. C.fallowing.
4. D.climatic conditions.

A social factor which affects land availability and use is

1. A.temperature.
2. B.soil pH.
3. C.light intensity and duration.
4. D.culture of the people.

The following are climatic factors affecting agricultural production except

1. A.rainfall.
2. B.relative humidity.
3. C.temperature.
4. D.topography.

Predators are used by farmers to

1. A.control pests.
2. B.induce flowering in plants.
3. C.protect the soil.
4. D.hasten fruit ripening.

Which of the following agents is not associated with chemical weathering?

1. A.Oxidation
2. B.Pressure
3. C.Hydrolysis
4. D.Carbonation

Which of the following statements is not correct about soil texture?

1. A.Soils with fine particles have higher water-holding capacity than coarse soils.
2. B.Fine-textured soils are warm soils and coarse-textured soils are cool soils.
3. C.The effect of leaching in coarse-textured soils is greater than that in fine-textured soils.
4. D.Fine-textured soils have higher nutrient-holding capacity than coarse-textured soils.

Inhibition of root and fruit formation are deficiency symptoms of

1. A.iron.
2. B.nitrogen.
3. C.chlorine.
4. D.phosphorus.

In the carbon cycle, carbon dioxide is used by crops for

1. A.photosynthesis.
2. B.transpiration.
3. C.decomposition.
4. D.respiration.

Flood irrigation is used for the cultivation of

1. A.water melon.
2. B.swamp rice.
3. C.oil palm.
4. D.coconut.

The presence of excess water in the colloids of soil particles is known as

1. A.drainage.
2. B.waterlogging.
3. C.irrigation.
4. D.leaching.

Study the illustration below.
The crop roots illustrated above are that of a

1. A.legume.
2. B.cereal.
3. C.tuber.
4. D.spice.

If rows of crops are spaced 1.0 m apart with one seed sown per stand, determine the spacing between stands to obtain a plant population of 40,000 plants per hectare.

1. A.0.25 m.
2. B.0.45 m.
3. C.0.50 m.
4. D.1.00 m.

The correct sequence of pre-planting operations is

1. A.clearing → stumping → ploughing → harrowing.
2. B.stumping → ploughing → harrowing → clearing.
3. C.bulldozing → harrowing → stumping → ploughing.
4. D.clearing → bulldozing → stumping → harrowing.

Heat treatment of oil palm seeds before sowing helps to

1. A.mobilize nutrients for the embryo.
2. B.harden the mesocarp.
3. C.break embryo dormancy.
4. D.improve disease resistance.

Imported plants are expected to be

1. A.vaccinated.
2. B.improved upon.
3. C.treated.
4. D.quarantined.

A breeding method which involves the production of heterozygous populations from homozygous lines is

1. A.inbreeding.
2. B.introduction.
3. C.selection.
4. D.hybridization.

A raw material that could be obtained from the forest is

1. A.margarine.
2. B.honey.
3. C.mutton.
4. D.butter.

Which of the following methods of plant propagation is limited to plants which root easily?

1. A.Grafting and cutting
2. B.Layering and cutting
3. C.Budding and layering
4. D.Grafting and layering

Which of the following practices is not a way of maintaining ornamental plants?

1. A.Pruning
2. B.Weeding
3. C.Watering
4. D.Harvesting

Which of the following pairs of diseases attack coffee?

1. A.Mosaic and smut
2. B.Smut and midge
3. C.Rust and mosaic
4. D.Rust and leaf spot

Insect-pests of crops could be controlled by

1. A.cover cropping.
2. B.mulching.
3. C.crop rotation.
4. D.organic manuring.

Which of the following insect-pests does not attack cotton?

1. A.Aphid
2. B.Cotton stainer
3. C.Weevil
4. D.Pink bollworm

Which of the following practices is an example of a cultural weed control method?

1. A.Use of insects
2. B.Mowing
3. C.Application of herbicides
4. D.Mulching

The diagram below illustrates the digestive tract of a farm animal.
The farm animal associated with the digestive tract illustrated above is

1. A.turkey.
2. B.cattle.
3. C.pig.
4. D.goat.

The diagram below illustrates the digestive tract of a farm animal.
Digestion of protein starts in the part labelled

1. A.I.
2. B.II.
3. C.III.
4. D.IV.

Study the illustrated poultry equipment.
Which of the illustrated equipment is not used in a brooder house?

1. A.I
2. B.II
3. C.III
4. D.IV

Study the illustrated poultry equipment.
Which of the following equipment could be used in place of the equipment labelled II in the management of chicks?

1. A.Incubator
2. B.Feeder
3. C.Electric bulb
4. D.Egg candler

Study the illustrated poultry equipment.
Which quality of eggs is associated with the equipment labelled I?

1. A.Size
2. B.Fertility
3. C.Colour
4. D.Price

Study the illustration below.
What is the name given to the identification method illustrated above?

1. A.Tagging
2. B.Neck chaining
3. C.Ear notching
4. D.Branding

A farmer collects 800 eggs from a laying stock of 1,200 birds per day. Determine the laying percentage of the stock.

1. A.150%
2. B.67%
3. C.50%
4. D.33%

By-products of livestock used as feed ingredients in poultry ration include

1. A.hides and hoofs.
2. B.blood and bones.
3. C.feathers and fur.
4. D.skin and bones.

Study the farm animal parasite illustrated below.
The parts labelled I, II and III form the

1. A.proglottide.
2. B.rostellum.
3. C.sucker.
4. D.scolex.

Study the farm animal parasite illustrated below.
The parasite illustrated in the diagram above obtains nutrients from the host through

1. A.osmosis.
2. B.diffusion.
3. C.capillarity.
4. D.egestion.

In fish farming, Clarias is introduced to a pond stocked with Tilapia in order to

1. A.regulate the population of Tilapia.
2. B.compete with Tilapia for feed.
3. C.check pests in the pond water.
4. D.regulate the turbidity of the pond water.

Subsidies are given to farmers in the form of

1. A.reduced prices of inputs.
2. B.provision of social infrastructure.
3. C.high tariff on imported inputs.
4. D.short term loans.

Use the table below.
Demand and Supply Schedules for Mangoes
Price of fruit (Le) — Supply (No. of baskets) — Demand (No. of baskets):
1,000.00 — 10 — 60
2,000.00 — 20 — 50
3,000.00 — 30 — 40
4,000.00 — 40 — 30
5,000.00 — 50 — 20
6,000.00 — 60 — 10
At a unit price of Le 1,000.00, what will be the excess demand over supply of mangoes?

1. A.50 baskets
2. B.40 baskets
3. C.20 baskets
4. D.10 baskets

Which of the following agents is not involved in agricultural marketing?

1. A.Commodity boards
2. B.Money lenders
3. C.Retailers
4. D.Middlemen

Agricultural extension teaching methods are classified on the basis of

1. A.teaching materials.
2. B.topics to be taught.
3. C.attitude of farmers.
4. D.audience size.

(a) List five non-governmental agricultural organizations in West Africa.
(b) State four ways in which agriculture and industry are interrelated.
(c) Give one function of each of the following parts of a disc plough: (i) disc; (ii) beam; (iii) furrow wheel; (iv) disc scraper; (v) hitch.
(d) State four disadvantages of animal power.

(a) State five factors that should be considered in choosing an irrigation system in West Africa.
(b) Mention four problems associated with irrigation in West Africa.
(c) A rectangle-shaped farmland has a length of 0.4 km and a breadth of 2,400 m, calculate the area of the farmland in hectares.
(d) List one primary tillage and three secondary tillage implements. Primary tillage implement: Secondary tillage implements:

(a) Draw a well labelled diagram of the water cycle.
(b) Mention two deficiency symptoms of phosphorus in crops.
(c) Using the table below, classify the following insect-pests according to their modes of feeding: (i) weevil; (ii) locust; (iii) scale insect; (iv) armyworm; (v) earworm; (vi) cotton stainer; (vii) green spidermites; (viii) thrips; (ix) capsids; (x) yam beetle.

(a) Discuss maize smut disease under the following headings: (i) causal organism; (ii) mode of transmission; (iii) two symptoms; (iv) two cultural control measures.
(b) Enumerate four forest management practices in West Africa.
(c)(i) State four classes of farm animals based on their uses. (ii) Give one example of each class stated in 4(c)(i).

(a) Discuss anthrax disease under the following headings: (i) causal organism; (ii) mode of transmission; (iii) two symptoms; (iv) two prevention and control measures.
(b)(i) List four sources of plant protein in livestock feeds. (ii) Give three examples of forage legumes that could be found in rangelands in West Africa.
(c) Mention five characteristics of labour as a factor of agricultural production.

(a) Explain briefly each of the following basic economic concepts: (i) scarcity; (ii) scale of preference.
(b) Give four reasons why agricultural insurance is important.
(c) State five fishery regulations in West Africa.
(d) Give five reasons why beekeeping is important.