Chap 3- Agronomy as a science

Question 1

What is agronomy?

Answer 1

Agronomy is the science and technology of using plants for food, fuel, fiber, and land reclamation.

Question 2

What does the Greek root of ‘agronomy’ mean?

Answer 2

Agros means field and Nomos means to manage.

Question 3

What is the main focus of agronomy?

Answer 3

The management of soil resources to produce crops sustainably.

Question 4

Where was the earliest planned harvesting of plants identified?

Answer 4

The Middle East.

Question 5

What is plant domestication?

Answer 5

The process of selecting plants for cultivation from wild varieties.

Question 6

When was the scientific approach to crop production introduced?

Answer 6

1834 at Rothamsted Experimental Station, UK.

Question 7

Name three fundamental sciences that agronomy is derived from.

Answer 7

Botany, Chemistry, and Physics.

Question 8

What are two new dimensions in crop production systems?

Answer 8

Biotechnology and Hydroponics.

Question 9

What are the two basic components of agronomy?

Answer 9

Crop and Soil.

Question 10

List three subfields under crop components of agronomy.

Answer 10

Crop physiology, Plant breeding, and Horticulture.

Question 11

List three subfields under soil components of agronomy.

Answer 11

Soil Biology, Soil Physics, and Soil Chemistry.

Question 12

What are the steps in crop production?

Answer 12

Land clearing, Tillage, Planting, Weeding, Fertilizer application, Pest control, Harvesting, and Processing.

Question 13

What is mixed cropping?

Answer 13

Planting more than one crop on a field at the same time.

Question 14

Define relay cropping.

Answer 14

Planting a new crop toward the end of the current crop’s life cycle.

Question 15

What is crop rotation?

Answer 15

The systematic planting of different crops in a sequence on the same land.

Question 16

What determines crop yield expectancy in Nigeria?

Answer 16

Climate, length of the rainy season, and vegetation.

Question 17

What is desertification’s impact on crop production?

Answer 17

It reduces ecological zones to one season, causing environmental degradation and decreased productivity.

Question 18

How are crops classified agronomically?

Answer 18

By their use: e.g., cereals, legumes, root crops, fibre crops, etc.

Question 19

Name two examples of cereals.

Answer 19

Maize and Rice.

Question 20

Name two examples of legumes.

Answer 20

Cowpea and Soybean.

Question 21

Name two examples of root and tuber crops.

Answer 21

Cassava and Yam.

Question 22

What is the definition of soil?

Answer 22

The collection of natural bodies on the Earth’s crust that supports plants.

Question 23

What is a soil profile?

Answer 23

A vertical succession of horizontal layers of soil.

Question 24

List the four components of surface soil by volume composition.

Answer 24

Minerals (45%), Water (25%), Air (25%), Organic matter (5%).

Question 25

What is soil texture?

Answer 25

The relative proportion of sand, silt, and clay in the soil.

Question 26

What is loam soil?

Answer 26

An ideal soil with 6-28% clay, 28-50% silt, and 24-52% sand.

Question 27

What determines soil reaction (pH)?

Answer 27

The balance of acidity or alkalinity, with pH values ranging from 0-14.

Question 28

What are macronutrients in plants?

Answer 28

Nutrients needed in large quantities, e.g., Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium.

Question 29

What are micronutrients in plants?

Answer 29

Nutrients needed in small quantities, e.g., Iron, Zinc, Boron.

Question 30

What are the three primary macronutrients?

Answer 30

Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K).

Question 31

What is organomineral fertilizer?

Answer 31

A blend of organic and mineral fertilizers.

Question 32

What are biofertilizers?

Answer 32

Microorganisms used to improve soil fertility, e.g., Rhizobium and Mycorrhiza.

Question 33

List one source of nitrogen for fertilizers.

Answer 33

Urea.

Question 34

What are the major soil types in Nigeria?

Answer 34

Alfisols, Entisols, Inceptisols, Oxisols, Ultisols, and Vertisols.

Question 35

What percentage of Nigerian soil is Alfisols?

Answer 35

40%.

Question 36

Where are Oxisols commonly found in Nigeria?

Answer 36

South-Eastern states.

Question 37

What is organic agriculture?

Answer 37

A system that promotes environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable production without synthetic inputs.

Question 38

What are the four principles of organic agriculture?

Answer 38

Health, Ecology, Fairness, and Care.

Question 39

What is ecological agriculture?

Answer 39

The integration of ecological principles with farming practices.

Question 40

Name two problems associated with Nigerian soil management.

Answer 40

Low organic matter and high susceptibility to erosion.

Question 41

What is the importance of soil organisms?

Answer 41

They enhance soil structure, nutrient recycling, and aeration.

Question 42

What is the current trend in fertilizer use?

Answer 42

The use of organomineral fertilizers for sustainability.

Question 43

What are the sources of potassium in fertilizers?

Answer 43

Muriate of Potash (KCl) or Potassium Nitrate.

Question 44

What is the pH range for acidic soil?

Answer 44

Less than 7.

Question 45

What causes soil degradation in tropical regions?

Answer 45

High temperatures, erosion, and low organic matter.

Question 46

What is minimum tillage?

Answer 46

Limiting soil disturbance to conserve soil quality.

Question 47

What is the textural triangle used for?

Answer 47

Determining the textural class of soil.

Question 48

What is the composition of organic matter in good agricultural soil?

Answer 48

3-5%.

Question 49

What are the benefits of mixed cropping?

Answer 49

Improved soil cover, nutrient cycling, and pest management.