2020 agriculture practical questions

Practical 3 question 2

1. You are provided with an animal products labeled M (Milk)

(a) Identify the product
________________________________________________________________________
(b) Mention any three by-products which can be produced from M
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
(c) Name any three farm animals which supply product M
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
(d) Explain any two nutritional values of specimen M in the human body
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
(e) Explain any three ways in which the quality of the products M may be improved.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
(f) Mention any three ways in which a farmer may stimulate the products M.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

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2. Practical 5
(a) (i) Identify the samples B (maize weevil)
________________________________________________________________________
(ii) To which group of insects’ pest do belong.
________________________________________________________________________
(b) Mention any two effects caused by insects pests
i. Boring insects

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

(c) Mention any four factors that a farmers need to consider when making a decision to
control pests
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
(d) What are four advantages of the chemical pests’ control?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
(e) What are five disadvantages of chemical pest control
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Practical 9
3. You are provided with specimen S (bean seed)
(a) Identify the specimen S
________________________________________________________________________
(b) Draw the specimen as you see it

(c) On your diagram label four important parts for growth

(d) State any two functions of any one part you have labeled.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
(e) What is germination?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
(f) Mention four conditions necessary for germination to take place describe any two types
of germination that you know.

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________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
(g) Describe six stages of seed germination.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Practical 15

4. You are provided with soil samples labeled A (Top soil) B (Sub-soil) which were taken from
the same soil profile of a certain farm at Bunda college of agriculture.
a. Identify the samples A and B
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
b. State one physical and chemical property that makes the soil samples A and B
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
c. Discuss any two ways through which A would lose its mineral elements easily.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
d. Explain briefly three reasons why it is important in agriculture to have a developed soil
profile.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
e. Explain any three methods of maintaining soil fertility in our Malawian soils.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
f. Mention two type of soil structure.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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Practical 19 question 2
5. You are provided with samples X (madeya) and Y (elephants grass)
a. Identify the two samples
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
b. Between the two samples which one has high energy value
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
c. Name the sample that can be additive feed to chickens that lay eggs
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
d. List other additives feed that can be supplied to chickens apart from the one mentioned in
“C” above.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
e. Mrs mazengo plans to graze her twelve cattle on 1.5 hectares of star grass. However
during the wet season there is usually more grass than the number of animals that can
feed on them.
i. If you were a farmer, what would you do in this situation

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

ii. State any five reasons for your answer in (i) above.

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________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

iii. Explain any two ways in which seasonal production of tar grass affects its quality
and quantity

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

f. What four factors should be considered before formulating an animal feed.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Practical 23 question 1
6. You are provided with specimen X (soaked bean seed)
a. (i) identify the sample X
________________________________________________________________________
(ii) Draw and label any three external part of the specimen X

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b. Remove the testa and divide the4 specimen X into two parts. Draw clearly the divided X
and label any three parts.

c. Explain one function of the three internal parts labeled in (b) above
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
d. Name one function of the three internal parts labeled in “ b”
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
e. Describe one importance of legumes to the growing population to human health.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Practical 4
7. you are provided with A (sand soil) and C(loam soil)
a. identify the two soil samples
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
b. Which of the three soil samples is good for maize growth and development?
_____________________________________________________________________
c. mention one method of improving the productivity of A

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_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
d. What are the five characteristic of sample C.?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
e. Draw and label any four parts of a soil profile.

Practical 5

8. You are provided with specimens labeled L (nsenjere or star grass).

a. identify the specimen labeled L

__________________________________________________________________

b. To which group of livestock feed does this specimen belong?

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__________________________________________________________________

c. State any two characteristic of feeds which belong to the group to the group mentioned
above.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

d. Explain two advantages of growing specimen L together with leucaena.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

e. give two examples of pastures which can be used in tobacco rotation to control worms

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

9. a. what is seed rate?

______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

b. calculate the seed rate for a pasture species using the fowling information;

i. seed size=200 000 seed/kg

ii. Purity =70%
iii. Germination=50%
iv. Expected plant population=900 000 plants per hectare.

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a. Mention any five qualities of good seed for planting.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

b. State any five factors that affect the seed rate of pastures

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

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Practical 23

Practical 24 question 6

1. Mr. Ngwira bought one bale of sugar from a retail shop at the price of k1 200. this sugar
went through the following marketing channels;
 starting with a smallholder farmer whose marketing price(selling price) is k420 for the
raw sugar cane
 Processing company with 25% share of product value.
 wholesaler with share of product value of 30%
 the retailer’s share of products value of 10%
a. Calculate the marketing margin at each marketing channel.

b. Calculate the selling price or marketing price of this sugar at each marketing channel.

c. Find the farm gate price of this sugar.

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d. If k100 profit was made by the processing company, k60 by wholesaler and k20 by a
retailer. Calculate the total marketing margin.

Practical 29

1. You are provided with soil samples L (loam) and S (sand) in funnels placed on conical
flasks. Pour the water to each of the soils at the same time and low the sample to sand for 20
minutes before observing the results.
a. Which of the three soils samples has the highest water retention?
_____________________________________________________________________
b. Which of the three soil samples has the lowest water retention?
_____________________________________________________________________
c. Give any two reasons for the differences in water retention among the three samples.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
d. What conclusion can be drawn on the permeability of the three soil samples?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
e. Name the sample that would be very unsuitable for rice growing?
_____________________________________________________________________

f. Give two reasons why the soil you have mentioned in (e) is very unsuitable for growing
rice.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

g. mention four ways of improving the sample mentioned in e above

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________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
1. (a) a 17-month old steer of mass 265kg was stall-fed from 10th January, 2018 to 10th
may ,2018 when it was sold after weighing 355kg.
i. Find the average mass gained per day for the steer. (4 marks)

ii. Calculate the total revenue if k300 was paid per kg gained by this steer.

(3 marks)

iii. Calculate the net income if k100 per day was spent on variable costs.

(4marks)

iv. State any one disadvantage of stall feeding.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)

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(b) Table 2 shows percentages of nutrients available in soil at different pH values. Use it
answers the questions that follow.

pH values 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Potassium 77 76 75 70 60 50 45 35 30 25 20 15 10 5
%
Phosphorous 10 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 60 70 75 76 77 78
%
i. Describe the relationship between the availability of nutrients and the pH values.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
(3 marks)
ii. What could happen to the availability of the phosphorous if a farmer applies lime to the soil?
_______________________________________________________________
(1 mark)
iii. Give a reason for the answer.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)

4(a) below is a figure showing two breeds of cattle labeled B and C

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i. which of the two breeds is beef

Beef breed

_________________________________________________________________

(1 mark)

Dairy breed

__________________________________________________________________

(1 mark)
ii. Mention any two characteristics that have made you identify the breed above.

Dairy breeds

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

(2 marks)

Beef breeds

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

(2 Marks)
iii. What name is given to a disease that attacks the udder of the cattle?
_____________________________________________________________
(1 mark)
iv. State any two ways of controlling the disease that you have mentioned above.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

(2marks

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b. table 2 shows an example of a marketing record for maize of farm during 2011/12 farming
season. Use it to answer the questions that follow.

date Amount sold Price/unit(mk) Income(mk) Market

(kg)
20/04/2011 50 20 1000 A
A 50 25 1250 B
02/12/2012 100 75 7500 A
07/12/12/2012 100 100 10 000 B
(ii) If a farmer spent k5 000 during the 2011/12 farming season, show by calculation whether
the farmer4 should continue with the maize enterprise in 2012/2013 farming season.

Conclusion
_______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
(5 marks)

(iii) calculate price elasticity of supply for the maize enterprise at market A

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(6 marks)
(iv) Name the degree of price elasticity of supply in b(ii)
_____________________________________________________________

1. a. Figure 1 is a diagram showing soil triangle. Use it to answer questions that follow

i. Identify the type of soil which has the following proportions of soil particles:
1) 30% clay, 8% sand and 62% silt.
________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)

2) 8% clay, 80% sand and 12% silt.

_________________________________________________________(1
Mark)

ii. State the percentage of sand at the following point:

Z:____________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)
iii. Explain which of the soils (Soil X or Soil Z) is:

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(i) Likely to be more acidic?

____________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)

Explain the reason for your answer,

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

(2 marks)

(ii) Likely to have high proportion of nutrients?

__________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)

Explain the reason for your answer.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

(2 marks)

iv. Apart from soil triangulation, what one other method can you use to classify soil
texture.
________________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)

b. Lughano wants to prepare 300kg of a dairy mash containing 16% protein from maize meal
(10% protein) and cotton seed cake (25% protein).
a. Using Pearson’s square, calculate the amounts of maize meal and cotton seed cake
she will have to include in the ration.

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(6 marks)
b. What one other ingredient should she add to the ration?
_____________________________________________________________________
(1 mark)
c. State any three reasons why cows must be fed with concentrates.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
(3 marks)

2. a. Figure 2 shows the lactation curve of a dairy cow. Use it to answer questions that follow:

i. Give one reason for the decline of milk in stage B.

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_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

ii. Which stage represents the dry period.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
iii. Explain any two importance of the dry period.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
iv. Explain how the lactation period affects milk yield.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

b. A farmer has two hectares of land on which he grows hybrid maize. He plans to make the
following changes:

 To apply 2 bags of Urea instead of 6 bags per hectare at K23, 000 per bag.
 To sell 100 bags of maize at K6,000 per bag instead of K5,000 per bag.
 To spend K 5,000 on actellic instead of K4,000
 To spend K6,000 per hectare instead of K5,000 per hectare on casual labor.
i. Prepare a partial budget for the farmer.

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(10 marks)
ii. What advice would you give the farmer? Explain your answer.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

(4 mark)

Practical 14 question 4

Table below shows reproductive cycles of the four types of farm animals belonging to Mrs. Banda. Use it
to answer questions that follow.
Type of animal Length of estrous Duration of Length of Time of
cycles (days) estrous gestation (days) ovulation(hours)
cycles(hours)
Cow 21 18 283 10 after end
oestrous
Ewe 17 36 150 36 after
beginning of
estrous
Sow 21 48 115 36 after
beginning of
estrous
nanny 20 36 150 Not known

a. Which animal has the longest period?

______________________________________________________________________

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b. Explain one advantage of having a longer heat period?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

c. a nanny was on heat 27th June 2010 but was not served.
i. State any three ways Mrs. Banda would have known the nanny was on heat.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
ii. What was the heat appropriate date serving the nanny? Show your working.

b. Mrs. Banda plans to have her ewe give birth on 31st December, 2010.
i. When should she allow the ewe to mate? Show your working.

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ii. Explain one advantage of planning to have the ewes lamb on 31st December, 2010.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

PRACTICAL 23

Practical 22 6b

Mrs. kisebe planted maize seeds on a plot of 5 ridges, each 10m long and spaced at0.91m. She
applied 23:21:0+4s fertilsers at the rate of 300kg/ha. Planting stations were at 0.91m as well.

(i) Calculate the area of a plot.

(ii) How much 23:21:0+4s fertilizer should be applied to this plot?

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(iii) Calculate the amount 23:21:04+4s fertile to apply per ridge.

(iv) Calculate the amount of 23:21:0+4s to apply per planting station.

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