55 questions. Try each one, then open the answer to check yourself and read the explanation.
A nation exports agricultural produce mainly to
Answer: C (earn foreign exchange.)
Exports bring in foreign currency.
Quarantine measures in agriculture are aimed at
Answer: B (preventing the introduction of pests and diseases.)
Quarantine holds imports to stop new pests and diseases entering.
Which of the following statements is not true about farming in West Africa?
Answer: D (Mechanization is fully-adopted)
Most West African farmers still use hand tools, so mechanization is far from fully adopted.
Mechanical power is not usually required in
Answer: C (staking of yams.)
Staking yams is done by hand.
The diagram below illustrates a farm equipment.
The illustrated equipment is called
Answer: D (ranging pole.)
A long pole with a pointed metal tip and painted bands is a ranging pole.
The diagram below illustrates a farm equipment.
The illustrated equipment is used for
Answer: B (marking stations.)
Ranging poles mark survey stations and lines so they can be seen from far.
The diagram below illustrates a surveyed school farmland.
Calculate the area of the farmland.
Answer: B (0.36 ha)
It is a trapezium: ½ × (70 + 90) × 45 = 3,600 m² = 0.36 ha.
The major objective of farm planning is to
Answer: A (maximize the use of available resources.)
Planning makes the best use of land, labour and capital.
Which factor of production has the following characteristics?
I. Free gift of nature
II. Limited in supply
III. Immobile
Answer: A (Land)
Land is a free gift of nature, fixed in supply and immobile.
Igneous rocks can easily be identified through their
Answer: B (coarse texture.)
Igneous rocks such as granite have coarse interlocking crystals; layers and fossils belong to sedimentary rocks.
Water which rises above the water table in the soil and is held in fine medium pores between soil particles by surface tension is
Answer: C (capillary water.)
Capillary water is held in small pores by surface tension and is used by plants.
An oven dried soil sample of mass 8g had a mass of 1.6g after it was completely burnt. Determine the percentage of humus in the soil sample.
Answer: D (80%)
Mass burnt off = 8 − 1.6 = 6.4 g; 6.4 ÷ 8 × 100 = 80%.
The deficiency of nitrogen in a maize plant can be corrected by applying
Answer: C (sulphate of ammonia.)
Sulphate of ammonia is a nitrogen fertilizer.
The structure of sandy soils can be described as
Answer: C (single-grained.)
Sand grains don't stick together, so the structure is single-grained.
A farmer designed the table below for implementation on a farm.
Plot 1: Year 1 Yam, Year 2 Groundnut, Year 3 Maize, Year 4 Cowpea
Plot 2: Groundnut, Maize, Cowpea, Yam
Plot 3: Maize, Cowpea, Yam, Groundnut
Plot 4: Cowpea, Yam, Groundnut, Maize
The cropping system illustrated in the table is
Answer: B (crop rotation.)
Each plot grows a different crop each year in a fixed order.
A farmer designed the table below for implementation on a farm.
Plot 1: Year 1 Yam, Year 2 Groundnut, Year 3 Maize, Year 4 Cowpea
Plot 2: Groundnut, Maize, Cowpea, Yam
Plot 3: Maize, Cowpea, Yam, Groundnut
Plot 4: Cowpea, Yam, Groundnut, Maize
Which of the following crops can conveniently replace maize in the table?
Answer: D (Millet)
A one-year rotation needs an annual crop of the same type, so millet (a cereal) replaces maize.
The following bacteria are important in the nitrogen cycle except
Answer: A (Bacillus.)
Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter nitrify and Rhizobium fixes nitrogen; Bacillus is not one of the named nitrogen-cycle bacteria.
Determine the ratio of nutrients in NPK 5-10-15.
Answer: B (1:2:3)
Divide each by 5: 5:10:15 = 1:2:3.
Which of following methods of irrigation is most efficient in terms of water conservation?
Answer: D (Drip irrigation)
Drip irrigation delivers water drop by drop to the roots, wasting little.
Which of the following crops is dicotyledonous?
Answer: D (Vigna unguiculata)
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a legume, a dicot; the others are monocots.
Crops which grow and mature within few weeks of their cultivation are called
Answer: B (ephemeral crops.)
Ephemerals complete their life cycle in a few weeks.
If the yield of cowpea is 750 kg per hectare, calculate the yield of cowpea from a 20 hectare farm.
Answer: B (15,000 kg)
750 × 20 = 15,000 kg.
Which of the following statements about threshing of rice are true?
I. Rice grains are separated from the panicle
II. Breakage of some grains could occur
III. The grains are polished
Answer: A (I and II only)
Threshing removes grains from the panicle and may break some; polishing is part of milling.
An important reason for staking yam is to
Answer: A (expose the leaves to sunlight.)
Stakes lift the vines so the leaves get more sunlight.
A crop that can be propagated by stem cutting is
Answer: C (cassava.)
Cassava is planted from stem cuttings.
Which of the following diseases of tomato is caused by a nematode?
Answer: B (Root knot)
Root-knot nematodes cause swellings on tomato roots.
The yield of cocoa trees is not influenced by
Answer: D (method of soil tillage.)
Pests, fertilizer and careful harvesting all affect cocoa yield; tillage plays no part in an established plantation.
The following crops are fibre crops except
Answer: B (onion.)
Onion is a vegetable (spice) crop.
The fencing and partitioning of a pastureland into paddocks is meant to
Answer: B (control grazing and ensure regeneration of pasture.)
Paddocks allow rotational grazing so grazed parts can regrow.
When a gene is expressed in the phenotype in a homozygous or heterozygous form, that gene is said to be
Answer: C (dominant.)
A dominant gene shows even when only one copy is present.
Uncontrolled burning of forests encourages
Answer: A (deforestation.)
Bush fires destroy forest trees.
Which of the following tree species is suitable for making electric poles?
Answer: D (Teak)
Teak grows straight and its wood is strong and durable.
A pest that attacks stored maize grain is
Answer: B (rodent.)
Rats and mice eat grain in stores.
An agricultural system which combines crop production with forest establishment is known as
Answer: B (taungya farming.)
In taungya, farmers grow crops among young forest trees.
An important characteristic of pigs is that they are
Answer: A (highly prolific.)
A sow produces large litters twice a year.
Digestion in ruminants is mainly
Answer: D (microbial and enzymatic.)
Microbes in the rumen and enzymes in the true stomach and intestine both digest the feed.
If 30 eggs make up a crate of eggs, how many eggs are in 2 packs assuming a pack contains 10 crates of eggs?
Answer: D (600 eggs)
2 packs × 10 crates × 30 eggs = 600 eggs.
In a brooder house, which of the following factors is monitored with the use of wet and dry hygrometer?
Answer: C (Relative humidity)
A wet and dry bulb hygrometer measures relative humidity.
Which of the following statements is not a reason for feeding farm animals?
Answer: C (Production of inorganic manure)
Animal dung is organic manure; producing inorganic manure is not a reason for feeding.
Rickets in farm animals can be controlled by
Answer: D (adding fish meal and oyster shell to animal feed.)
Rickets comes from lack of calcium, phosphorus or vitamin D; fish meal and oyster shell supply them.
Tapeworm, liver fluke and roundworm can be controlled by
Answer: B (drenching.)
Drenching gives a liquid dewormer by mouth to kill internal worms.
The diagram below illustrates a fishing tool.
The part which a bait is attached before lowering the tool in water is labelled
Answer: D (I.)
I is the hook, where the bait is fixed.
The diagram below illustrates a fishing tool.
Which of the labelled parts enables the tool to float on water when fish is caught?
Answer: C (II)
II is the float, which bobs on the water and shows when a fish bites.
Which of the following statements is not a precautionary measure in bee keeping?
Answer: A (The apiary should not be fenced to allow for proper ventilation)
An apiary should be fenced to keep people and animals away.
If a farmer produces 9 bags of millet at an average cost of D 80,000.00 per bag and sells each of the 9 bags at D 90,000.00, the profit is
Answer: C (D 90,000.00.)
Profit per bag = 90,000 − 80,000 = 10,000; × 9 bags = D90,000.
The diagram below is a demand and supply graph.
The part labelled C in the graph is the
Answer: D (equilibrium point.)
C is where the demand and supply curves cross: the equilibrium point.
The diagram below is a demand and supply graph.
A farmer whose production exceeds point C will experience
Answer: A (surplus to the market.)
Supplying more than the equilibrium quantity leaves unsold surplus.
A total of 12,000 kg of maize was demanded at N20 per kg while 8,000 kg of it was demanded at N30 per kg. What is the percentage change in quantity demanded?
Answer: A (33%)
(12,000 − 8,000) ÷ 12,000 × 100 = 33%.
A cost effective way of disseminating urgent information to a large number of farmers at the same time is through
Answer: C (mass media.)
Radio, TV and newspapers reach many farmers at once cheaply.
(a) Suggest two possible solutions to each of the following problems of agricultural development in West Africa: (i) poor transportation; (ii) environmental degradation; (iii) use of crude farm tools.
(b) State three precautions that should be taken when using each of the following types of farm power: (i) animal power; (ii) electrical power.
(c) Give six reasons for maintaining farm tools and implements.
(a)(i) Transport: build and maintain rural roads/rail/waterways; provide vehicles through co-operatives or subsidies; reduce fuel cost.
(ii) Environmental degradation: erosion control and afforestation; laws against bush burning and pollution; irrigation and drainage; proper use of agrochemicals.
(iii) Crude tools: tractor hiring services; subsidised modern implements; local fabrication of machines; train farmers in mechanisation; co-operatives to buy machines.
(b)(i) Animal power (any three): use healthy, trained animals; do not overwork them; work them in cool hours; feed and water well; handle gently and remove sharp horn tips/use muzzles.
(ii) Electrical power (any three): never touch live or bare wires; use insulated gloves/boots; repair faults promptly through qualified electricians; use voltage regulators/earthing; switch off appliances when not in use; keep water away from electrical points.
(c) Any six: to keep them in good working condition; to prolong their life; to prevent rust and corrosion; to avoid breakdown during work; to reduce cost of repairs/replacement; to ensure safety of users; to save time; to increase efficiency of work.
Two solutions for each problem in (a).
(a) Explain each of the following terms as used in agricultural ecology: (i) soil texture; (ii) soil structure; (iii) soil profile.
(b)(i) State three advantages of grafting. (ii) Name two tree crops that could be propagated by grafting.
(c) List three cultural practices that could be used to replenish nutrients in the soil.
(d) Give four measures that farmers could adopt to control pests in grain stores.
(a)(i) Soil texture: the relative proportions of sand, silt and clay particles in a soil (coarseness or fineness).
(ii) Soil structure: the way soil particles are grouped or arranged into aggregates (crumbs, blocks, plates).
(iii) Soil profile: a vertical section of soil from the surface down to the parent rock, showing the horizons.
(b)(i) Any three: combines good qualities of stock and scion; early fruiting; plants true to type; disease/drought-resistant rootstock; propagates plants that do not root easily.
(ii) Any two: citrus (orange); mango; avocado; cocoa; rubber; cashew.
(c) Any three: crop rotation with legumes; bush fallowing; green manuring; cover cropping; mulching; organic manuring/composting; liming.
(d) Any four: clean and fumigate the store before storage; dry grains properly; use storage insecticides/fumigants; airtight containers; rat guards/traps; inspect regularly and remove infested grain; use hermetic bags/silos.
Define each soil term in one sentence.
(a) Discuss the cultivation of Citrus spp under the following headings: (i) method of propagation; (ii) spacing in the field; (iii) two nursery practices; (iv) two pests; (v) two diseases.
(b) Define each the following terms: (i) surface irrigation; (ii) surface drainage.
(c) Give three advantages each of the terms in 3(b). (i) Surface irrigation (ii) Surface drainage.
(a)(i) Budding (sweet orange buds on rough lemon/sour orange rootstock); also seeds for rootstocks and grafting.
(ii) About 6 m × 6 m (7.5 m × 7.5 m).
(iii) Any two: watering; shading; weeding; budding the rootstock; pest and disease control; hardening off; pricking out.
(iv) Any two: fruit flies; aphids; scale insects; citrus butterfly (leaf eater); mealybugs; termites.
(v) Any two: citrus tristeza; gummosis; citrus canker; scab; sooty mould; greening.
(b)(i) Surface irrigation: applying water over the soil surface so that it flows by gravity (basin, furrow, flooding).
(ii) Surface drainage: removing excess water from the soil surface through open ditches/channels.
(c)(i) Surface irrigation (any three): cheap and simple; needs no special equipment; uses gravity; suitable for crops like rice; easy to operate.
(ii) Surface drainage (any three): cheap to construct; prevents waterlogging; improves soil aeration; easy to inspect and maintain; allows early working of the land.
Name the rootstock used for budding citrus.
(a) With the aid of a diagram, describe the life cycle of the variegated grasshopper.
(b) State five ways through which diseases are spread on crop farms.
(c) State six characteristics of a good layer.
(a) Incomplete metamorphosis: egg → nymph (hopper) → adult. Females lay eggs in pods in moist soil; eggs hatch into wingless nymphs that look like small adults; nymphs moult several times (about five instars), developing wing buds; the final moult gives the winged adult. Diagram: cycle of egg pod → nymphs → adult with arrows.
(b) Any five: wind; water/rain splash; insects (vectors); infected seeds and planting materials; contaminated tools; man (clothes, hands); animals; infected soil and crop debris.
(c) Any six: bright red, large, moist comb and wattles; alert and active; wide, deep, soft abdomen; widely spaced pelvic bones; large, moist, oval vent; good appetite; bleached shanks and beak (yellow pigment used up); clean bright eyes; healthy and not broody.
Name the three stages in order.
(a) Complete the table below on diseases of farm animals: for Brucellosis and Aspergillosis, give the causal organism (i), (v); farm animal affected (ii), (vi); symptom (iii), (vii); and control (iv), (viii).
(b) State five advantages of the battery cage system in poultry production.
(c) Give five reasons why some agricultural extension programmes are not successful in West Africa.
(a) Brucellosis: (i) bacterium (Brucella abortus/melitensis); (ii) cattle, goats, sheep, pigs; (iii) abortion in late pregnancy, retained placenta, infertility, swollen testes; (iv) vaccination, test and slaughter infected animals, hygiene, burn aborted foetuses.
Aspergillosis: (v) fungus (Aspergillus fumigatus); (vi) poultry (chicks); (vii) gasping/difficult breathing, loss of appetite, drowsiness, death; (viii) keep litter and feed dry and free of mould, good ventilation, disinfect incubators and houses, use fungicides/antifungal drugs.
(b) Any five: more birds per unit space; easy to collect clean eggs; less egg breakage/eating; easy to detect and cull poor layers; less disease and parasite spread; easy feeding and watering, less feed waste; no litter needed; easy record keeping.
(c) Any five: too few, poorly trained or poorly motivated extension staff; poor transport; illiteracy/conservatism of farmers; inputs not available or too costly; poor link between research and extension; language barriers; inadequate funding; innovations not suited to farmers' conditions.
Name the organism type (bacterium or fungus).
(a)(i) Prepare a balance sheet for Newlife Farms for the year ended 31st December, 2016 using the information below:
Closing valuation N600,000.00
Cash in bank N250,000.00
Loan payable to cooperatives N250,000.00
Debt payable to feed millers N100,000.00
Debt receivable from egg sellers N100,000.00
(ii) State two reasons why the balance sheet is important to a farm manager.
(b) List five sources of agricultural loans in West Africa.
(c) Give three reasons why the floor of a deep litter house is preferably covered with wood shavings instead of saw dust.
(a)(i) Newlife Farms balance sheet as at 31 December 2016. Assets: closing valuation N600,000; cash in bank N250,000; debt receivable from egg sellers N100,000; total assets N950,000. Liabilities: loan payable to cooperatives N250,000; debt payable to feed millers N100,000; total liabilities N350,000. Net worth (capital) = 950,000 − 350,000 = N600,000.
(ii) Any two: shows the financial position/net worth of the farm; shows whether the farm is solvent; helps in getting loans; guides planning and decisions.
(b) Any five: commercial banks; agricultural/development banks (e.g. Bank of Agriculture); co-operative societies; government agencies/schemes; money lenders; friends and relatives; microfinance banks; insurance companies; NGOs.
(c) Any three: wood shavings absorb moisture well and stay dry; they are less dusty, so fewer respiratory problems; birds do not eat them as feed (sawdust may be eaten); they do not cake easily and stay loose; fewer mould problems.
Assets minus liabilities gives net worth.