Agriculture Paper 1 Questions and Answers - MECS Pre Mock Exams 2023

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Agriculture Paper 2 Questions and Answers - MECS Pre Mock Exams 2023

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INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIADATES

Answer all question in section A and B
In section C answer any two questions
Candidates should check the question paper to ascertain that all pages are printed as indicated and that no questions is missing
Candidates must answer all the questions in English

For examiner’s use only

Section	Questions	Maximum score	Candidate score
A	1 -17	30
B	18 -21	20
C		20
		20
Total score		90

QUESTIONS

SECTION A (30marks).

Answer all Questions in this section

Name two branches of horticulture. (1marks)
List two advantages of mixed farming. (1 mark)
State two advantages of metal water pipes over plastic pipes in piping water in the farm. (1 mark)
1. State two characteristics of extensive farming system. (1marks)
2. List four characteristic of fertile soil (2maks)
Give four advantages of raising cabbage seedlings in a nursery before transplanting (2maks)
State four benefits of a land title deed to a farmer (2marks)
State four factors which should be considered when deciding type of irrigation on crop production (2marks)
Give two ways by which overstocking encourage soil erosion. (1mark)
State two physical agent of weathering (1mark)
State four objectives of the million-acre scheme. (2marks)
State four symptoms of attack by the bean fly in bean production. (2marks)
1. State any four measures that are taken to minimize water pollution in the farm. (2 marks)
2. Outline four ways through which soil loses its fertility. (2 marks)
List Four practices that achieve minimum tillage. (2 marks)
List four farming practices that can be carried out to increase the amount of light harnessed by crops. (1 marks)
State two ways of preparing planting materials before planting (1mark)
State four ways of increasing labour efficiency on the farm (2marks)
State four factors which may affect the quality of Hay. (2 marks)

SECTION B (20 MARKS)
Answer ALL the questions in this section in the spaces provided.

The diagram below shows an experiment set up using three different sets of soil, and the observations made after 24hrs. Study the diagram and answer the questions that follow.
1. What is the experiment set up above designed to study. (1 mark)
2. Name soil types B and C. (2 marks)
  C
  B
3. What are the characteristic textures of the soil type A and C (2 marks)
  Soil type A
  Soil type C
The diagrams below show a practice carried out on various crops on the farm. Study them carefully and answer the questions that follow.
1. Identify the farm practice represented by B. (1mark )
2. State one the importance of the above practice in the following crops. (3marks)
  1. Maize
  2. Irish Potatoes
  3. Tobacco
3. At what stage of growth should the above practice be carried out in maize. (1mark )
Study the farm record below and the questions that follow:

Date

Disease symptoms

Animals affected

Drug used

Cost of treatment

Remarks
1. Identity of the record (1mark)
2. State two different information that should be entered in the remarks column (2marks)
3. Give two importance of keeping the farm record illustrated above (2marks)
The diagram below illustrates common weeds in arable land, study them carefully and answer the questions that follow.
1. Identify the weed labeled C and D (2marks)
  C...
  D...
2. Classify the weed labeled C according to plant morphology. (1 mark)
3. Explain the reason why it is difficult to control the weed labeled D. (2 marks)

SECTION C ANSWER ONLY TWO QUESTION 40 MARKS

Describe the management of cabbages under the following sub-headings.
1. Nursery preparation and establishment (7 marks)
2. Management of seedlings in the nursery (5 marks)
3. Transplanting of seedlings (8 marks)
1. Explain five ways government policy contributes to Agriculture. (5 marks)
2. Explain any five factors considered when spacing crops. (10marks)
3. Describe the advantages of mixed grass -legume pasture over a pure grass pasture (5marks)
1. State and explain four ways in which soil loses its fertility (8marks)
2. State the precautions that should be observed when harvesting cotton. (4marks)
3. Explain four importance of crop rotation. (8marks)

MARKING SCHEME

Name two branches of horticulture. ( 2x ½ = 1 marks)
- Pomoculture / Growing of fruits
- Olericulture / growing of vegetables
- Floriculture / growing of flowers
State two advantages of mixed farming ( 2 x ½ = 1 mark)
- Mutual benefit between crops and livestock
- Better utilization of labour
- Assured of income throughout the year
- Diversification /insurance against total loss
Advantages of metal water pipes over plastic pipes in piping water . (2 x ½ = 1mark)
- Higher pressure tolerant
- Resistant to rodent damage
- Durable /long lasting
1. Two characteristics of extensive farming system ( 2x ½ = 1marks)
  - Practiced on large tract of land
  - Low capital investment
  - Low labour requirement per unit area
  - Low yields per unit area.
2. List four characteristic of fertile soil ( 4x ½ = 2marks)
  - Correct PH
  - Good water holding capacity
  - Adequate plant nutrients
  - Free from pest and diseases
  - Good depth
  - Well drained
Advantages of raising cabbage seedlings in a nursery before transplanting (4x ½ = 2marks)
- Easy to carry out management practices
- Better conditions are provided for seedling
- It takes short time in the field
- Excess seedling is sold to earn income.
- Easy to establish small seeds into seedlings
- A farmer is able to select strong and health seedlings for transplanting.
State four benefits of a land title deed to a farmer. (4x ½ = 2marks)
- One can sell land and earn income
- No dispute of land/offers security of tenure
- Can develop permanent project on land
- Motivated to conserve soil and water
- Security to get a loan
State four factors which should be considered when deciding type of irrigation on crop production ( 4x ½ = 2marks)
- Slope of land/Topography
- Type of crop to be planted
- Availability of water
- Type of soil
- Availability of capital
ways overstocking encourage soil erosion. (2 x ½ = 1mark)
- Animals remove all forage cover and expose soil to agents of soil erosion.
- Intensive trampling loosen soil making it easily carried by agent of soil erosion
- Intensive trampling occurs and vegetation is destroyed exposing the soil to agent of soil erosion.
Physical weathering agents (2 x½ = 1 mark)
- Wind
- Glaciations/moving ice
- Temperature change
- Running water(reject water alone)
Objectives of million acre scheme. ( 4x ½ = 2marks)
- To transfer land from white settlers (Europeans) to Africans.
- Reduce population pressure in the African reserves.
- To solve the unemployment problems.
- To increase agricultural production,Through better methods of land utilization.
- To maintain production levels maintained by former white settlers and also earn foreign exchange from the sale of cash crops.
State four symptoms of attack by the bean fly in bean production. ( 4x ½ = 2marks)
- Holes in stem/tunnels in stem.
- Stem swells at the base.
- Cracking of stem at the base
- Stunted growth.
1. measures which are taken to minimize water pollution . ( 4x ½ = 2marks)
  - Fencing off water sources to keep off pollutants
  - Application of soil conservation measures to control soil erosion
  - Avoid watering animals directly from water sources
  - Good disposal of effluents from processing factories
  - River banks should be vegetated by planting grass to minimize siltation in rivers.
  - Employing adequate storm water control methods and disposal systems especially in areas with heavy rains.
2. state four importance of drainage as a land reclamation method ( 4x ½ = 2marks)
  - To increase soil volume
  - To raise soil temperature
  - To increase soil aeration by removing excess water
  - To reduce soil erosion
  - To remove toxic substances
  - To increase microbial activities
List four practices that achieve minimum tillage. (4x½=2marks)
- Application of herbicides in controlling weed
- Use of mulch on the soil surface
- Timing cultivation
- Establishing a cover crop on the field
- Uprooting or slashing weeds in perennial crops
- Restricting cultivation to the area where seeds are to be planted
List four farming practices that can be carried out to increase the amount of light harnessed by crops ( 4 x ½ = 2 marks)
- Prunning
- Thinning
- Weeding
- Wider spacing
Two ways of preparing planting materials before planting (2 x ½ = 1mark)
- Breaking seed dormancy
- Seed dressing
- Chitting/ sprouting
- Seed inoculation
four ways of increasing labour efficiency on the farm (4x½=2marks)
- Training them
- Giving incentives
- Supervision
- Good operator – worker relationship
- Farm mechanization
- Assigning tasks according to skills & specialization
- Proper remuneration /Attractive salaries
State four factors which may affect the quality of Hay. (2 x ½=1marks)
- Forage species used
- Stage of harvesting (leaf: stem ration)
- Length /period of storage
- Weather condition during drying period
- Condition of the storage structure
1. What is the experiment set up above designed to study. (1 mark)
  - To compare porosity / water holding capacity of different soils
2. Name the three soil types B and C. (2 marks)
  - C- Clay
  - B- Loam
3. What are the characteristic textures of the soil type A and C (2 marks)
  - A- Coarse texture
  - C – Fine textured
1. Identify the farm practice represented by B. (1mark )
  - Earthing up
2. State one the importance of the above practice in the following crops. (3marks)
  - Maize - provides support to prevent lodging
  - Irish potatoes - Improves tuber formation/expansion
  - Tobacco – Improves drainage around the plant
3. At what stage of growth should the above practice be carried out in maize. (1mark )
  - During second weeding /knee high/45 cm in height
1. Identity of the record (1mark)
  - Health record
2. State two different information that should be entered in the remarks column (2marks)
  - Occurrence of the disease
  - Response to treatment
  - Next date of treatment /vaccination
3. Give two importance of keeping the farm record illustrated above (2marks)
  - Know the course of action to be taken in the event of a disease and maintenance of good health
  - Know the prevalent disease
  - Calculate cost of treatment
  - Select and cull animals on health ground
1. Identify the weed labeled (2marks)
  - C-Black jack Biden pilosa
  - D- Oxalis
2. Classify the weed labeled C according to plant morphology. (1 mark)
  - Broad leaf
3. .Explain the reason why it is difficult to control the weed labeled D. (2 marks)
  - Has the underground structure (bulbs) which goes deep/spread hence difficult to control
1. Nursery Preparations and establishment (7x1=7marks)
  - Clear the place if bushy
  - Dig the land to remove perennial weed
  - Break soil clods to a fine tilth
  - Remove roots and stones from site
  - Prepare nursery bed 1m wide by any convenient length
  - Prepare raised or sunken depending on moisture available
  - Level nursery bed
  - Make shallow drills about 10cm apart
  - Apply phosphatic fertilizer in drills and mix through with soil
  - Sow seeds by drilling
  - Cover the seeds lightly with soil
  - Apply some thin layer of mulch after sowing
  - Water the seeds
2. Management of seedlings in the nursery (5x1=5marks)
  - Remove the mulch as soon as seedlings emerge
  - Water nursery twice a day – morning and late evening
  - Remove weeds as they come up.
  - Prick out of overcrowded seedlings
  - Control pests using appropriate pesticide
  - Control diseases using appropriate fungicide
  - Hardening off the seedlings by gradual removal of the shade & reduction in frequency watering.
  - Erect a shade to protect the seedlings from direct sunlight.
3. Transplanting of seedlings (8x1=8 marks)
  - Water nursery thoroughly before transplanting
  - Dig planting holes of appropriate depth and correct spacing (60-90)cm x 60cm
  - Select healthy and vigorously growing seedling only
  - Lift seedlings carefully with a garden trowel.
  - Ensure the seedling is lifted with lamp of soil around the roots
  - Transport seedlings carefully to the field
  - Transplant on a cloudy day or late afternoon
  - Place phosphatic fertilizer and well rotten manure in the planting holes and mix with soil
  - Plant seedling same depth as they were in the nursery bed
  - Fill the holes with soil and firm around the base seedlings
  - Apply mulch or erect a shade
  - Water the seedlings thoroughly.
1. Explain five ways government policy contributes to Agriculture. (5 x1=5marks)
  - Subsidize the price of inputs to ensure production is affordable.
  - Conservation of natural resources to ensure sustainability
  - Imposition of high tax imports to promote local products
  - Stepping up control of diseases and pest to prevent spread and high quality products
  - Quality control to ensure effective competition in both local and international market
2. Explain any five factors considered when spacing crops.
  - Soil fertility – Crops can be spaced wider if the soil is infertile and close if soil is very fertile.
  - Soil moisture content – Drier areas require wider spacing than wet areas.
  - Machinery to be used in subsequent farm operation - Crop whose operation will be mechanized is given wider space to allow for movement of machinery than that which will be manually managed.
  - Intended purpose of the crop – Crops requires different spacing depending on their purpose e.g. maize for silage is spaced closer than that grown for grains.
  - Growth habit of the crop/ size/ suckering/ tillering – plants that tiller or produce suckers tend to occupy a bigger area. they thus require wider spacing.
  - Height/size of plant – Shorter crops require narrower spacing than taller crops.
  - Number of seeds per hole – If more seeds are planted per hole, the spacing should be wider than if fewer or one seed is planted per hole.
  - Pest and disease control-when crop are properly spaced, pest may find it difficult to move from one plant to another
  - Stating 1 mark explanation 1 mark total 10 marks
3. Describe the advantages of mixed grass -legume pasture over a pure grass pasture ( 5x1=marks)
  - Mixed pasture yields more per unit areas of land
  - It is more nutritious /has higher nutrition value
  - Make maximum use of soil Nutrients
  - Helps to reduce soil erosion because of good coverage
  - Has better weed control
  - Increases soil fertility because of Nitrogen fixation
1. State and explain four ways in which soil loses ferttility (4x2=8 marks)
  - Leaching – As water infiltrates into the soil it moves together with dissolved soluble minerals to lower horizon beyond the reach of many plant roots.
  - Soil Erosion – Carrying away of top soil rich in nutrients by agents.
  - Monocropping – the crop grown will use the same nutrients till exhausted leaving out other nutrients, remain unused
  - Continous cropping-cultivation on the same piece of land over a long period of time exhaust all the nutrients
  - Burning of the vegetation – burning destroys organic matter leading to destruction of soil fertility.
  - Accumulation of salts that lead to salinity. This change leads to loss of soil fertility.
  - Change in soil pH – increase or decrease in soil pH as a result of use of different fertilizers affects the activity of soil microorganisms as well as availability of soil nutrients.
2. State the precautions that should be observed when harvesting cotton. (4x1marks)
  - Picking should be done immediately the bolls open/split to prevent staining by dust.
  - Picking should be done when the lint is dry to prevent fibres from sticking together.
  - Use clean containers for picking to avoid contamination.
  - Hands should be clean to avoid staining of the lint.
  - Do not mix cotton with foreign matter eg leaves and small twigs.
  - Use separate containers for separate cotton grades to ensure quality
  - Avoid using sisal bags for collecting the bolls because their fibres may mix with the seed cotton thus creating problems during ginning.
3. Explain four importance of crop rotation. (8marks)
  - Maximum utilization of nutrients- Alternating shallow with deep rooted crops ensures that nutrients from different layers are well utilized.
  - Control of soil borne pests and disease build up- Eg root eelworms in pyrethrum. Pests and diseases are specific to various crops.
  - Control of weeds -Parasitic weeds eg witch weed (Striga weed) are specific to grass family crops and can be controlled by planting non grass crops for some time.
  - Improvement of soil fertility-When leguminous crops are included in the rotation programme, they help in fixing nitrogen with the help of Rhizobium bacteria. This nitrogen is made available for subsequent crops.
  - Improvement of soil structure- It is recommended that at the end of the rotation programme a grass ley be established. The roots of grass are so extensive that they bind soil particles together.
  - Control of soil erosion-If crops planted in rows eg maize is alternated with cover crops eg sweet potatoes providing good ground cover reducing soli erosion.
  - Stating 1mark explanation 1 mark 4x2=8 marks