500 Most Important MCQ on Agronomy B.Sc. Agriculture, and useful for CUET-UG, ICAR-AIEEA (UG), AAO/AFO/AHO & State Agri Exams
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1. The term 'agronomy' was coined by whom and derives from Greek words meaning?
a) Liebig; field management
b) Scholer; crop cultivation laws
c) Jethro Tull; soil tillage
d) Norman Borlaug; food production
Correct Answer: b) Scholer; crop cultivation laws
Agronomy originates from 'agros' (field) and 'nomos' (to manage/law), formalized by Scholer in 1814; it encompasses scientific management of land for crop production, distinguishing from horticulture by scale and focus on field crops.
2. The primary role of an agronomist in ensuring global food security involves?
a) Developing high-yielding varieties only
b) Integrating soil, water, nutrient, and crop management for sustainable intensification
c) Policy formulation exclusively
d) Post-harvest technology development
Correct Answer: b) Integrating soil, water, nutrient, and crop management for sustainable intensification
Agronomists bridge crop ecology, tillage, nutrient dynamics, and cropping systems to enhance land productivity (e.g., 2-3 fold via Green Revolution practices), addressing 9-10 billion population needs by 2050 without expanding arable land.
3. Agro-ecosystem differs from natural ecosystem primarily due to?
a) Absence of biodiversity
b) Human intervention for energy subsidy and output optimization
c) Complete autotrophic dominance
d) No nutrient cycling
Correct Answer: b) Human intervention for energy subsidy and output optimization
Agro-ecosystems receive external inputs (fertilizers, irrigation) to maximize harvestable yield (10-50% of NPP vs. <1% in natural), altering trophic structure and increasing vulnerability to pests if not managed sustainably.
4. The 'cardinal temperatures' for maize growth include minimum, optimum, and maximum as?
a) 10°C, 30-35°C, 44°C
b) 5°C, 25°C, 40°C
c) 8°C, 32°C, 45°C
d) 12°C, 28°C, 42°C
Correct Answer: a) 10°C, 30-35°C, 44°C
Below 10°C, germination ceases; optimum 30-35°C maximizes photosynthesis in C4 pathway; >44°C causes pollen sterility and kernel abortion, critical for phenology modeling in subtropical zones.
5. Agro-climatic zone IIIA (Eastern Plateau and Hills) is characterized by?
a) High rainfall (>2000 mm), red loamy soils, rice-based systems
b) Moderate rainfall (1000-1400 mm), alluvial soils, wheat-rice rotation
c) Low rainfall (<750 mm), black soils, sorghum-pearl millet
d) Humid, >2500 mm, laterite, plantation crops
Correct Answer: a) High rainfall (>2000 mm), red loamy soils, rice-based systems
NARP classification; Zone IIIA (Bihar plateau, Chhattisgarh) supports tribal farming with upland rice, pulses, and millets, prone to soil erosion on undulating terrain.
6. Soil-water potential at field capacity and permanent wilting point for medium-textured soils is approximately?
a) -0.03 MPa and -1.5 MPa
b) -0.1 MPa and -3.0 MPa
c) -0.033 MPa and -1.5 MPa
d) -0.01 MPa and -0.5 MPa
Correct Answer: c) -0.033 MPa and -1.5 MPa
Field capacity (-0.033 MPa) holds gravitational water drainage complete; PWP (-1.5 MPa) marks unavailable hygroscopic water, defining available water capacity (AWC) of 10-20% vol in loams.
7. The upward movement of water in soil against gravity is primarily governed by?
a) Capillary rise influenced by pore size and soil texture
b) Root interception only
c) Percolation loss
d) Evapotranspiration pull alone
Correct Answer: a) Capillary rise influenced by pore size and soil texture
In fine-textured soils, rise can reach 1-2 m (h = 0.15/r, Jurin's law); critical for subsoil moisture access in dryland crops like sorghum during drought spells.
8. Zero tillage is most beneficial in rice-wheat systems of IGP for?
a) Increasing water percolation losses
b) Reducing soil organic carbon oxidation and enhancing infiltration rate
c) Promoting Phalaris minor germination
d) Enhancing evaporation losses
Correct Answer: b) Reducing soil organic carbon oxidation and enhancing infiltration rate
Residue retention (4-6 t/ha) sequesters 0.3-0.5 t C/ha/year, improves aggregate stability, and cuts irrigation need by 15-20% via better rainwater infiltration in puddled soils.
9. Conservation tillage is defined as residue cover of at least?
a) 10% post-seeding
b) 30% post-seeding
c) 50% post-seeding
d) 70% post-seeding
Correct Answer: b) 30% post-seeding
USDA standard; reduces erosion by 50-90%, conserves soil moisture (20-30 mm extra), and sustains yield in rainfed vertisols compared to conventional ploughing.
10. Crops classified as 'catch crops' are typically?
a) Short-duration, fast-growing, sown to utilize residual moisture
b) Long-duration perennials
c) Legumes for N-fixation
d) Fiber crops
Correct Answer: a) Short-duration, fast-growing, sown to utilize residual moisture
E.g., cowpea or radish in delayed monsoon; opportunistic to suppress weeds and provide fodder, common in contingency planning for drylands.
11. The Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) in intercropping systems quantifies?
a) Total productivity advantage over monocropping
b) Weed suppression efficiency
c) Nutrient uptake competition
d) Water use efficiency only
Correct Answer: a) Total productivity advantage over monocropping
LER = (Yab/Yaa) + (Yba/Ybb); >1 (often 1.2-1.5 in cereal-legume) indicates resource complementarity (light, N, water) in systems like maize+pigeonpea.
12. The principle behind relay cropping is?
a) Sowing second crop into standing first crop before its harvest
b) Simultaneous sowing and harvest
c) Sequential monocropping
d) Overlapping vegetative phases only
Correct Answer: a) Sowing second crop into standing first crop before its harvest
Minimizes turnaround time (e.g., wheat into cotton); ensures 10-15 extra days for establishment, critical in rice-wheat where delay reduces wheat yield by 30-40 kg/ha/day.
13. Seed viability differs from germinability in that viability measures?
a) Potential to germinate under optimal conditions (tetrazolium test)
b) Actual germination percentage in field
c) Seed vigor index
d) Dormancy level
Correct Answer: a) Potential to germinate under optimal conditions (tetrazolium test)
TZ test stains living tissues red, detecting embryo viability (>90% for certified seed); germinability may be lower due to dormancy or pathogens.
14. The optimum plant population in wheat under timely sown irrigated conditions is?
a) 1.5-2.0 lakh/ha
b) 2.5-3.0 lakh/ha
c) 3.0-3.5 lakh/ha
d) 1.0-1.5 lakh/ha
Correct Answer: c) 3.0-3.5 lakh/ha
Achieved at 100-125 kg seed/ha (22.5 cm rows); balances tillering (400-500 spikes/m²) and lodging risk, maximizing grain yield (5-6 t/ha) via compensatory mechanisms.
15. In drip irrigation, the emitter discharge rate for widely spaced crops like cotton is typically?
a) 1-2 LPH
b) 4-8 LPH
c) 10-15 LPH
d) 20-30 LPH
Correct Answer: b) 4-8 LPH
Matches crop ET (5-7 mm/day peak); fertigation efficiency >90%, saving 30-50% water vs. flood, with uniform wetting (80-90% area) in saline soils.
16. The critical stage for irrigation scheduling in maize using IW/CPE ratio is?
a) 0.75-0.90 during tasseling to grain filling
b) 0.50 during vegetative phase
c) 1.20 during establishment
d) No irrigation needed
Correct Answer: a) 0.75-0.90 during tasseling to grain filling
Reproductive phase most sensitive; moisture stress reduces cob size and kernel number by 40-50%, per pan evaporation-based scheduling in subtropical conditions.
17. Water use efficiency (WUE) is highest in which irrigation method for horticultural crops?
a) Surface (40-50%)
b) Sprinkler (70-80%)
c) Drip (90-95%)
d) Sub-surface (60-70%)
Correct Answer: c) Drip (90-95%)
Localized delivery minimizes evaporation/percolation; achieves 2-3 times higher WUE (kg/m³) than flood, vital for water-scarce regions like Maharashtra orchards.
18. The 'slow-release' nitrogen fertilizers like neem-coated urea reduce losses by?
a) Inhibiting urease and nitrification (20-30% N saving)
b) Enhancing leaching
c) Promoting volatilization
d) No effect on denitrification
Correct Answer: a) Inhibiting urease and nitrification (20-30% N saving)
Bitter neem triterpenes slow hydrolysis; synchronized N release matches crop demand, improving NUE from 30-40% to 50-60% in rice-wheat.
19. Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) aims to maintain soil fertility by combining?
a) Organic (FYM, compost) + inorganic + biofertilizers in 4:2:1 ratio ideally
b) Chemical fertilizers only
c) Green manuring exclusively
d) Micronutrients alone
Correct Answer: a) Organic (FYM, compost) + inorganic + biofertilizers in 4:2:1 ratio ideally
Sustains SOC (>0.5% increase/year), reduces fertilizer dose 25-50%, and enhances microbial activity for long-term productivity in intensive systems.
20. The critical period of crop-weed competition in transplanted rice is?
a) 20-30 DAT
b) 0-20 DAT
c) 30-60 DAT
d) After panicle initiation
Correct Answer: b) 0-20 DAT
Coincides with establishment; uncontrolled weeds (Echinochloa) cause 40-60% yield loss; weed-free maintenance beyond 30 DAT yields no further gain.
21. Biological weed control using mycoherbicides is exemplified by?
a) Colletotrichum gloeosporioides for Ageratum conyzoides
b) Alternaria for Parthenium
c) Rust fungus for Lantana
d) All of the above
Correct Answer: d) All of the above
Host-specific pathogens integrated in IWM; reduces chemical load 50-70% in organic systems, though slow action limits standalone use.
22. Leaf Area Index (LAI) at which maximum light interception (95%) occurs in most field crops is?
a) 3-4
b) 5-6
c) 2-3
d) >7
Correct Answer: b) 5-6
Beer-Lambert law (I = I0 e^{-k LAI}, k=0.65); beyond LAI 5, mutual shading reduces NAR, shifting assimilate to stems over grain.
23. Net Assimilation Rate (NAR) is influenced most by?
a) Photosynthetic efficiency per unit leaf area
b) Total dry matter only
c) Root growth
d) Harvest index
Correct Answer: a) Photosynthetic efficiency per unit leaf area
NAR = (W2 - W1)/(t2 - t1) × (log LA2 - log LA1)/(LA2 - LA1); declines with ontogeny due to shading and senescence in dense canopies.
24. Harvest Index (HI) in modern wheat cultivars has increased to?
a) 0.45-0.55 from 0.30 in traditional
b) 0.60-0.70
c) 0.20-0.30
d) No change
Correct Answer: a) 0.45-0.55 from 0.30 in traditional
Dwarfing genes (Rht) partition more assimilates to grain; HI plateau limits further yield gains without improving total biomass.
25. Physiological maturity in sorghum is indicated by?
a) Black layer formation at kernel base
b) Maximum dry weight and 25-30% moisture
c) Both a and b
d) Yellowing of leaves only
Correct Answer: c) Both a and b
Hilum discoloration marks cessation of grain filling; harvesting at 18-20% moisture minimizes field losses while allowing safe storage after drying.
26. In dryland agriculture, the 'mid-season correction' involves?
a) Thinning or ratooning during drought spells
b) Additional irrigation
c) Foliar sprays only
d) Harvesting early
Correct Answer: a) Thinning or ratooning during drought spells
Reduces plant population 20-30% to match available moisture; e.g., sorghum ratoon yields 50-60% of main crop under terminal drought.
27. Contour bunding in drylands conserves rainwater by?
a) Reducing runoff velocity and increasing infiltration time
b) Promoting evaporation
c) Enhancing deep percolation loss
d) No effect on soil moisture
Correct Answer: a) Reducing runoff velocity and increasing infiltration time
0.3-0.6 m height bunds store 100-200 mm runoff; graded bunds safe disposal, increasing profile moisture by 50-100 mm in black soils.
28. Organic farming prohibits synthetic inputs to maintain?
a) Soil biological activity and long-term fertility
b) Immediate high yields
c) Weed-free fields
d) Uniform crop stand
Correct Answer: a) Soil biological activity and long-term fertility
NPOP standards; relies on compost (10-15 t/ha), biofertilizers, and crop rotation; yield gap 10-20% initially but stabilizes SOC and microbial biomass.
29. Integrated Farming System (IFS) maximizes resource recycling through?
a) Component interactions (crop-livestock-fish-horticulture)
b) Monoculture intensification
c) Chemical dependency
d) Single enterprise
Correct Answer: a) Component interactions (crop-livestock-fish-horticulture)
E.g., paddy-fish-duck; recycles 60-80% nutrients via pond silt/manure, generating 2-3 times higher net returns than arable farming alone.
30. Precision farming utilizes Variable Rate Technology (VRT) based on?
a) Grid soil sampling and yield maps for site-specific input application
b) Uniform blanket recommendations
c) Visual observation only
d) Fixed schedules
Correct Answer: a) Grid soil sampling and yield maps for site-specific input application
GPS-guided applicators save 10-30% fertilizer; NDVI sensors detect variability, optimizing yields in large fields of Punjab wheat.
31. Conservation agriculture pillars exclude?
a) Continuous no-till
b) Crop rotation
c) Residue retention
d) Intensive tillage
Correct Answer: d) Intensive tillage
CA triad (no-till, rotation, cover) sequesters 0.4-0.8 t C/ha/year globally; intensive tillage oxidizes SOC and disrupts aggregates.
Correct Answer: a) Row crops during inter-row cultivation
Hoeing/weeding 20-40 DAS; reduces herbicide dependency in cotton/maize.
91. Harvest index is the ratio of?
a) Economic yield to biological yield
b) Grain to total DM
c) Both a and b
d) Root to shoot
Correct Answer: c) Both a and b
HI = Grain DM / Total above-ground DM; breeding target >0.5 in cereals.
92. Maturity indices for cereals include?
a) Loss of green color, hard dough, moisture <25%
b) Flowering
c) Tillering
d) Germination
Correct Answer: a) Loss of green color, hard dough, moisture <25%
Ensures maximum dry matter accumulation; mechanical harvest possible.
93. Dryland cropping systems emphasize?
a) Intercropping and sequential systems for stability
b) Intensive irrigation
c) Monoculture
d) High density
Correct Answer: a) Intercropping and sequential systems for stability
E.g., pearl millet + cluster bean; hedges against rainfall variability.
94. Sustainable agronomy avoids?
a) Nutrient mining and soil degradation
b) Crop rotation
c) Organic inputs
d) Conservation practices
Correct Answer: a) Nutrient mining and soil degradation
Balanced fertilization and residue return maintain long-term land productivity.
95. Scope of modern agronomy includes?
a) Remote sensing for crop monitoring
b) Traditional ploughing only
c) Manual weeding
d) No technology
Correct Answer: a) Remote sensing for crop monitoring
Drones/satellites assess NDVI, guide precision interventions for resource efficiency.
96. Rainfall intensity affects?
a) Runoff and erosion more than total amount
b) Only groundwater recharge
c) No soil effect
d) Evaporation only
Correct Answer: a) Runoff and erosion more than total amount
>25 mm/h exceeds infiltration in many soils; contour farming mitigates splash erosion.
97. Soil-water-plant continuum involves?
a) SPAC concept for water movement from soil to atmosphere
b) Nutrient flow only
c) Air movement
d) No continuum
Correct Answer: a) SPAC concept for water movement from soil to atmosphere
Gradient from soil (-1.5 MPa) to leaf (-2 to -3 MPa) drives flow; stomatal regulation key.
98. Primary tillage inverts soil to bury?
a) Weeds, residues, incorporate manures
b) Create fine tilth only
c) Level land
d) Conserve moisture
Correct Answer: a) Weeds, residues, incorporate manures
Mouldboard plough; controls perennials but exposes soil to erosion if not followed timely.
99. Important field crops of India by area include?
a) Rice, wheat, maize, pulses, oilseeds
b) Spices only
c) Fruits
d) Flowers
Correct Answer: a) Rice, wheat, maize, pulses, oilseeds
Staples covering >70% food production; agronomy focuses on their management.
100. Advantages of intercropping include all except?
a) Higher LER
b) Better resource use
c) Risk reduction
d) Uniform pest attack
Correct Answer: d) Uniform pest attack
Diversity often dilutes host-specific pests; e.g., marigold in chili repels nematodes.
1. The term 'agronomy' is interdisciplinary because it integrates principles from?
a) Soil science, meteorology, plant physiology, and genetics
b) Entomology only
c) Pathology exclusively
d) Economics alone
Correct Answer: a) Soil science, meteorology, plant physiology, and genetics
Agronomy applies multidisciplinary knowledge for crop management; e.g., soil for nutrient supply, weather for scheduling, physiology for growth analysis, and genetics for variety selection in sustainable production systems.
2. An agronomist contributes to national food security primarily through?
a) Bridging yield gaps via improved crop management practices
b) Breeding new varieties
c) Policy making
d) Marketing strategies
Correct Answer: a) Bridging yield gaps via improved crop management practices
Potential yields are 2-3 times current; agronomic interventions (timely sowing, balanced nutrition, water management) close 30-50% gap without genetic changes, as per ICAR estimates.
3. Agro-ecosystem productivity is sustained by external inputs because?
a) Energy flow is subsidized, and nutrient cycling is incomplete
b) It mimics natural ecosystems fully
c) Biodiversity is higher
d) No human interference
Correct Answer: a) Energy flow is subsidized, and nutrient cycling is incomplete
Harvest removes 30-50% nutrients; fertilizers/fuel inputs maintain high NPP harvest index, unlike closed cycling in natural systems.
4. The 'heat unit' or growing degree days (GDD) concept is based on?
a) Cumulative temperature above base threshold for phenological development
b) Rainfall accumulation
c) Sunshine hours only
d) Wind speed
Correct Answer: a) Cumulative temperature above base threshold for phenological development
GDD = Σ (Tmax + Tmin)/2 - Tbase; e.g., maize base 10°C, total 1500-2000 GDD to maturity; predicts sowing and harvest dates accurately.
5. Agro-climatic zone VIII (Eastern Himalayan Region) features?
a) High rainfall (>2000 mm), acidic soils, shifting cultivation
b) Arid, low rainfall
c) Semi-arid black soils
d) Alluvial plains
Correct Answer: a) High rainfall (>2000 mm), acidic soils, shifting cultivation
Zone covers NE states; terracing and agroforestry recommended to combat erosion and sustain rice-maize systems.
6. Soil water constants like saturation, field capacity, wilting point are determined by?
a) Soil texture and structure influencing pore size distribution
b) Plant species only
c) Atmospheric pressure
d) Nutrient content
Correct Answer: a) Soil texture and structure influencing pore size distribution
Clay soils hold more unavailable water (higher PWP); sandy soils drain faster (lower FC), affecting irrigation scheduling.
7. Plant water potential decreases from soil to leaf due to?
a) Transpirational pull creating negative pressure gradient in SPAC
b) Root pressure alone
c) Gravity only
d) No gradient
Correct Answer: a) Transpirational pull creating negative pressure gradient in SPAC
Cohesion-tension theory; leaf ψ -2 to -3 MPa vs. soil -0.03 MPa at FC, driving xylem flow during daylight.
8. Modern concept of tillage 'stubble mulch' is used in?
a) Dryland farming to conserve moisture and control erosion
b) Wetland rice
c) Horticulture
d) Protected cultivation
Correct Answer: a) Dryland farming to conserve moisture and control erosion
Residue left on surface reduces evaporation (30-40%) and wind erosion; chisel plough maintains stubble in wheat fallows.
9. Disadvantages of excessive tillage include?
a) Soil organic matter depletion, structure destruction, erosion acceleration
a) Slow release nutrients, improve soil physical properties
b) Quick only
c) No organic
d) Harmful
Correct Answer: a) Slow release nutrients, improve soil physical properties
FYM 10-20 t/ha base.
70. Weed classification by morphology: broadleaf, grasses, sedges based on?
a) Leaf shape, venation
b) Life cycle
c) Origin
d) Habitat
Correct Answer: a) Leaf shape, venation
Selective herbicide target.
71. NAR declines with crop age due to?
a) Increased respiratory load, shading
b) Higher photosynthesis
c) No decline
d) Root growth
Correct Answer: a) Increased respiratory load, shading
Maintenance respiration rises.
72. Maturity indices for pulses?
a) Pod dry, leaf yellow
b) Flowering
c) Green
d) No index
Correct Answer: a) Pod dry, leaf yellow
Avoids shattering.
73. Watershed management in dryland for?
a) Runoff harvesting, groundwater recharge
b) Drainage
c) Flood
d) No
Correct Answer: a) Runoff harvesting, groundwater recharge
Farm ponds, check dams.
74. Organic vs conventional: organic has?
a) Lower initial yield but better soil health
b) Higher always
c) Same
d) No difference
Correct Answer: a) Lower initial yield but better soil health
Transition period 3-5 years.
75. Modern agronomy uses?
a) GIS, remote sensing for decision support
b) Manual only
c) No tech
d) Traditional
Correct Answer: a) GIS, remote sensing for decision support
Crop monitoring, yield forecasting.
76. Wind role in crop ecology?
a) Pollination, dispersal, mechanical stress
b) No role
c) Only cooling
d) Disease reduction
Correct Answer: a) Pollination, dispersal, mechanical stress
Anemophily in maize.
77. Soil moisture stress affects?
a) Cell expansion first (turgor loss)
b) Photosynthesis later
c) No sequence
d) Root only
Correct Answer: a) Cell expansion first (turgor loss)
Vegetative growth sensitive.
78. Types of tillage: puddling specific for?
a) Rice wetland preparation
b) Dryland
c) Upland
d) No
Correct Answer: a) Rice wetland preparation
Reduces percolation.
79. Factors for crop selection: agroecology first, then?
a) Economic viability, farmer preference
b) Tradition only
c) No factors
d) Government
Correct Answer: a) Economic viability, farmer preference
Market, profitability key.
80. Intercropping LER >1 indicates?
a) Advantage over sole cropping
b) Disadvantage
c) Equal
d) No land
Correct Answer: a) Advantage over sole cropping
Efficient resource use.
81. Sowing methods: transplanting for?
a) Rice, tobacco for uniformity
b) Wheat
c) Maize
d) Direct
Correct Answer: a) Rice, tobacco for uniformity
Overcomes establishment issues.
82. High density leads to?
a) Tall, weak stems, lodging
b) Short sturdy
c) No change
d) Better yield always
Correct Answer: a) Tall, weak stems, lodging
Light competition etiolation.
83. Water use efficiency improves with?
a) Deficit irrigation in some crops
b) Excess
c) Flood
d) No
Correct Answer: a) Deficit irrigation in some crops
Regulated deficit in grapes.
84. Fertilizer placement: drilling for?
a) Cereals below seed
b) Broadcast
c) Surface
d) Foliar
Correct Answer: a) Cereals below seed
Better contact.
85. Critical period concept for weeds guides?
a) Timing of control measures
b) No control
c) Late
d) Pre only
Correct Answer: a) Timing of control measures
Economizes inputs.
86. Development stages influenced by?
a) Photothermal units
b) Rainfall
c) Soil
d) No
Correct Answer: a) Photothermal units
Phenology models.
87. Storage structures: silo for?
a) Bulk grain aerobic
b) Bags
c) Open
d) No
Correct Answer: a) Bulk grain aerobic
Large scale.
88. Contingency plans in dryland for?
a) Delayed monsoon (short duration crops)
b) Early
c) Normal
d) No
Correct Answer: a) Delayed monsoon (short duration crops)
Alternate crops.
89. Sustainable practices include?
a) Crop diversification, INM
b) Intensive mono
c) High chemical
d) Burning
Correct Answer: a) Crop diversification, INM
Resilience.
90. Agronomy and extension link for?
a) Technology transfer to farmers
b) Research only
c) No
d) Policy
Correct Answer: a) Technology transfer to farmers
KVKs, demonstrations.
91. Rainfall distribution more important than total for?
a) Crop success in rainfed
b) Irrigated
c) No
d) Total only
Correct Answer: a) Crop success in rainfed
Dry spells critical.
92. Root water uptake maximum in?
a) Upper soil layers initially
b) Deep
c) Uniform
d) No
Correct Answer: a) Upper soil layers initially
Density higher top.
93. Minimum tillage reduces?
a) Fuel cost, erosion
b) Yield
c) Weeds
d) No
Correct Answer: a) Fuel cost, erosion
Partial conservation.
94. Important oilseed crops India?
a) Groundnut, mustard, soybean
b) Cereals
c) Pulses
d) Fibers
Correct Answer: a) Groundnut, mustard, soybean
Edible oil source.
95. Cropping pattern refers to?
a) Spatial and temporal arrangement
b) Single crop
c) No
d) Rotation only
Correct Answer: a) Spatial and temporal arrangement
Yearly sequence + arrangement.
96. Plant population calculation based on?
a) Spacing and area
b) Seed rate only
c) Variety
d) No
Correct Answer: a) Spacing and area
Plants/ha = 10000 / (row × plant spacing m).
97. Irrigation scheduling tools include?
a) Tensiometer, gypsum block
b) Visual
c) Fixed
d) No
Correct Answer: a) Tensiometer, gypsum block
Soil moisture based.
98. Biofertilizers role in INM?
a) N fixation, P solubilization
b) No
c) Replace
d) Harm
Correct Answer: a) N fixation, P solubilization
Reduce chemical 25%.
99. IWM importance?
a) Delays resistance, eco-friendly
b) Increases chemical
c) No
d) Single method
Correct Answer: a) Delays resistance, eco-friendly
Holistic approach.
100. Post-harvest technology in agronomy covers?
a) Threshing, drying, storage
b) Growing only
c) Sowing
d) No
Correct Answer: a) Threshing, drying, storage
Minimizes losses 10-20%.
101. The concept of 'agro-ecological zones' in India was primarily based on?
a) Rainfall, temperature, soil type, and cropping pattern
b) Administrative boundaries
c) River basins only
d) Altitude alone
Correct Answer: a) Rainfall, temperature, soil type, and cropping pattern
The Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog) delineated 15 agro-climatic zones under NARP for region-specific planning; integrates biophysical factors to tailor agronomic practices like variety selection and nutrient management.
102. In crop ecology, the 'compensation point' refers to?
a) Light intensity where photosynthesis equals respiration
b) Temperature optimum
c) CO2 saturation
d) Water potential equilibrium
Correct Answer: a) Light intensity where photosynthesis equals respiration
Below compensation point, net CO2 uptake is negative; critical for shade-tolerant crops in intercropping systems, influencing LAI management.
103. The 'vapor pressure deficit' (VPD) influences crop transpiration most directly by?
a) Driving gradient between leaf and atmosphere
b) Soil moisture availability
c) Root hydraulic conductivity
d) Stomatal density
Correct Answer: a) Driving gradient between leaf and atmosphere
High VPD (>2 kPa) accelerates transpiration, risking dehydration; mulching or antitranspirants mitigate in dryland agronomy.
104. Subsoiling is a special tillage practice recommended for?
a) Breaking hardpan to improve root penetration in compacted soils
b) Seedbed preparation
c) Weed control
d) Residue incorporation
Correct Answer: a) Breaking hardpan to improve root penetration in compacted soils
Depth 40-60 cm; enhances water infiltration and root exploration in vertisols, boosting drought tolerance in deep-rooted crops like cotton.
105. Crops classified as 'forage crops' are primarily grown for?
a) Animal feed (green/dry fodder)
b) Human consumption
c) Oil extraction
d) Fiber production
Correct Answer: a) Animal feed (green/dry fodder)
E.g., berseem, lucerne, oats; integrated in IFS for livestock nutrition and soil N enrichment via legumes.
106. Sequential cropping differs from multiple cropping in that it involves?
a) Successive crops without overlap in growth periods
b) Overlapping growth
c) Simultaneous sowing
d) Perennial inclusion
Correct Answer: a) Successive crops without overlap in growth periods
E.g., rice-wheat; maximizes annual productivity but requires quick turnaround, addressed by zero tillage.
107. Seed invigoration treatments are used to?
a) Enhance germination and vigor in aged/low-quality seeds
b) Increase seed size
c) Change color
d) Reduce dormancy only
Correct Answer: a) Enhance germination and vigor in aged/low-quality seeds
Techniques like osmopriming; improves field emergence in vegetables and pulses under stress conditions.
108. In plant population dynamics, the 'law of constant final yield' states that?
a) Yield plateaus beyond optimum density due to compensation
b) Linear increase with density
c) No compensation
d) Decline always
Correct Answer: a) Yield plateaus beyond optimum density due to compensation
Plastic crops like wheat adjust tillers/grains; guides spacing recommendations.
109. Micro-irrigation (drip/sprinkler) efficiency is high because it?
a) Minimizes weeds, evaporation, and deep percolation
b) Floods field
c) Promotes runoff
d) Uniform always in slopes
Correct Answer: a) Minimizes weeds, evaporation, and deep percolation
Most important Questions for NABARD Grade-A, IBPS-SO/AFO, and Bank of Maharashtra Agriculture field officer. Important Questions for NABARD, Important Questions for IBPS-AFO, Important Questions for BOM – AFO 1. On
Horticulture most important questions in Hindi for ICAR, IARI, JRF, RAEO, RHEO, Pre PG, JET, AO, AFO, ARO, Agriculture supervisor, BHU, PSC Etc. Q.1. उद्यान विज्ञान की वह शाखा जिसके अंतर्गत
Physical Science ICAR JRF 2020 Solved Question Paper pdf download Q. 1. Under what condition, denitrification is a major mechanism of nitrogen loss from the soil?1. Well-drained soil2. Fallow soils3.