Answer: B. A planned sequence of crops. Rotation changes the crop grown on a field over successive seasons; monocropping repeats one crop.
Which feature best identifies intercropping?
A Seeds scattered without arrangement
B One crop across the field
C Crops grown in separate years
D Crops in distinct row patterns
Answer: D. Crops in distinct row patterns. Intercropping grows two or more crops together in a planned arrangement, commonly distinct rows or strips.
How are crops commonly arranged in mixed cropping?
A Without distinct row patterns
B In carefully spaced strips
C One crop after another
D In separate seasonal fields
Answer: A. Without distinct row patterns. Mixed cropping grows multiple crops together without a distinct row arrangement.
When does relay cropping place the next crop?
A After the field lies fallow
B Only after storage is complete
C Sow next crop before harvest
D At the same planting station
Answer: C. Sow next crop before harvest. Relay cropping overlaps crops briefly by sowing the next crop before harvesting the standing one.
What defines sequential cropping on one field?
A A later crop follows harvest
B A crop grows beneath trees
C Two crops share fixed rows
D One crop repeats each season
Answer: A. A later crop follows harvest. Sequential cropping grows a succeeding crop after the preceding crop is harvested.
How is cropping intensity commonly calculated?
A Harvest weight ÷ seed weight
B Gross area ÷ net area
C Irrigated area ÷ farm workers
D Net sown area ÷ rainfall
Answer: B. Gross area ÷ net area. Cropping intensity is gross cropped area divided by net sown area; multiply the ratio by 100 when expressing it as a percentage.
In India, Kharif sowing is generally linked to which season?
A The winter frost period
B The southwest monsoon
C The spring harvest period
D The post-monsoon summer
Answer: B. The southwest monsoon. Kharif crops are generally sown with the onset of the southwest monsoon; local calendars vary.
Which season commonly describes Rabi crops in India?
A Year-round greenhouse season
B Peak monsoon growing season
C Late summer only
D Cooler winter growing season
Answer: D. Cooler winter growing season. Rabi crops are generally sown in the cooler post-monsoon or winter season and harvested in spring.
Which short Indian cropping season falls between Rabi and Kharif?
A Hemanta
B Sharad
C Zaid
D Bhadra
Answer: C. Zaid. Zaid refers to a short summer cropping season between Rabi and Kharif.
What planning aid helps align farm operations with local seasons?
A A seed purity label
B A crop calendar
C A market receipt book
D A soil color chart
Answer: B. A crop calendar. A crop calendar organizes sowing and field operations around local seasons and conditions.
Why is consistent sowing depth useful across a field?
A It fixes nutrient deficiencies
B It changes seed genetics
C It prevents all weeds
D It encourages even emergence
Answer: D. It encourages even emergence. Similar placement depth helps seedlings emerge more uniformly when other conditions are suitable.
What can happen when seeds are planted too deeply?
A Seedlings may exhaust stored reserves
B Roots stop needing oxygen
C Plants mature immediately
D Seeds become disease-proof
Answer: A. Seedlings may exhaust stored reserves. A deeply placed seedling may use its reserves before reaching the soil surface.
Which condition improves contact between seed and soil?
A Large air gaps
B A sealed crust
C Loose stones in furrows
D Firm soil around the seed
Answer: D. Firm soil around the seed. Good seed-to-soil contact supports water uptake while avoiding compaction or crusting.
What is a practical advantage of drilling seed in rows?
A Weeds cannot emerge
B No field preparation is needed
C More uniform depth and spacing
D Every seed germinates
Answer: C. More uniform depth and spacing. Drilling places seeds in rows at a more controlled depth and spacing than random scattering.
What is a common limitation of broadcasting seed?
A Seed placement may be uneven
B It prevents crop rotation
C It always wastes no seed
D It requires nursery seedlings
Answer: A. Seed placement may be uneven. Broadcast seed can be distributed unevenly and may need suitable covering or follow-up field work.
What does dibbling involve?
A Scattering seed across water
B Placing seeds in spaced holes
C Moving mature plants to storage
D Cutting crop rows by hand
Answer: B. Placing seeds in spaced holes. Dibbling places seeds in individual holes or spots at chosen intervals.
Why are seedlings sometimes raised in a nursery first?
A To increase seed dormancy
B To transplant established young plants
C To eliminate every field pest
D To avoid all irrigation
Answer: B. To transplant established young plants. Nursery raising allows young seedlings to establish before they are transplanted into the main field.
What is the purpose of thinning seedlings?
A Reach the intended plant stand
B Raise soil salinity
C Delay crop maturity
D Increase seed dormancy
Answer: A. Reach the intended plant stand. Thinning removes excess seedlings so remaining plants have the planned spacing.
Why do farmers fill gaps in planted rows?
A Increase row length
B Create a fallow strip
C Restore missing plants
D Delay all flowering
Answer: C. Restore missing plants. Gap filling replaces missing hills or plants and helps achieve a more uniform stand.
Which factors should guide the target plant population?
A Previous crop name only
B Farm boundary color
C Market day alone
D Crop and local conditions
Answer: D. Crop and local conditions. Suitable plant population depends on crop, variety, environment, water, and management.
What is a key purpose of planned row spacing?
A Balance growth and field access
B Remove the need for scouting
C Guarantee a fixed yield
D Make every plant identical
Answer: A. Balance growth and field access. Spacing balances competition for resources with light, airflow, and access for field operations.
Which factors influence a suitable seed rate?
A Farm name and road access
B Seed quality, size, spacing
C Harvest price alone
D Color of irrigation pipes
Answer: B. Seed quality, size, spacing. Seed rate varies with seed size and quality, crop, spacing, and sowing method.
Why can contour planting help on sloping land?
A It makes fields level
B It increases slope length
C It removes all rainfall
D It slows runoff and erosion
Answer: D. It slows runoff and erosion. Planting along contours slows water movement and can reduce soil erosion.
What can uneven field leveling cause during surface irrigation?
A Fixed soil fertility
B Permanent pest control
C Uneven water distribution
D Uniform crop maturity
Answer: C. Uneven water distribution. Low and high spots can receive different water depths, causing uneven crop conditions.
Which crop group can contribute biologically fixed nitrogen?
A Cereal grains without microbes
B Root crops without nodules
C Legumes with compatible rhizobia
D All weeds in a field
Answer: C. Legumes with compatible rhizobia. Many legumes form symbioses with rhizobia that fix atmospheric nitrogen; effectiveness depends on the pairing and conditions.
Why may a cereal benefit after a well-grown legume?
A Residual nitrogen may remain
B Rotation stops rainfall
C Legumes remove all soil nitrogen
D Cereals cannot use soil nutrients
Answer: A. Residual nitrogen may remain. Some nitrogen fixed by a legume can remain available to a following crop, although the amount varies.
Which combination matches FAO conservation agriculture principles?
A Flooding, burning, continuous tillage
B Minimum disturbance, soil cover, diversity
C Bare fallow, compaction, one crop
D Deep ploughing, bare soil, monoculture
Answer: B. Minimum disturbance, soil cover, diversity. FAO describes minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and crop diversification as the three linked principles.
What can surface crop residues help reduce?
A Seed viability and root growth
B Rainfall and sunlight
C Crop diversity and infiltration
D Evaporation and soil erosion
Answer: D. Evaporation and soil erosion. Residue cover can reduce direct evaporation and protect soil from erosive raindrop impact.
Repeated monoculture can encourage which problem?
A Guaranteed yield stability
B Automatic soil restoration
C Permanent weed elimination
D Pest and disease buildup
Answer: D. Pest and disease buildup. Repeating a susceptible crop can favor pests, pathogens, or weeds adapted to that system.
How can complementary crops use resources more effectively?
A Different roots and canopies
B No shared sunlight
C Separate fields only
D Identical growth at every stage
Answer: A. Different roots and canopies. Crops with different rooting patterns or canopy timing can use resources in complementary ways.
What does sole cropping mean?
A Several crops in mixed rows
B Two crops overlapping briefly
C One crop species grown alone
D Different crops in sequence
Answer: C. One crop species grown alone. Sole cropping grows one crop species in a field during a given season.
Which stage follows vegetative growth in many crop life cycles?
A Postharvest grading
B Reproductive growth
C Seed storage
D Soil formation
Answer: B. Reproductive growth. Many crops progress from vegetative growth into reproductive development, though stage details differ by species.
What is the main purpose of primary tillage?
A Measure crop yield
B Loosen soil for establishment
C Control every insect
D Certify seed purity
Answer: B. Loosen soil for establishment. Primary tillage is an initial soil-working operation; the method and intensity depend on the production system.
Why is regular field scouting valuable?
A It replaces soil testing
B It guarantees a harvest
C It detects problems early
D It prevents every disease
Answer: C. It detects problems early. Scouting helps identify emerging pest, disease, nutrient, or water problems while management options remain.
Why does timely sowing matter?
A It matches growth with season
B It fixes poor drainage
C It guarantees seed purity
D It removes all crop risks
Answer: A. It matches growth with season. Sowing at a locally suitable time helps crop development coincide with favorable temperature, moisture, and season length.
Which pair is useful when scheduling irrigation?
A Farm size and road distance
B Row color and tool brand
C Seed color and market price
D Soil moisture and crop stage
Answer: D. Soil moisture and crop stage. Irrigation decisions should account for crop water needs and current soil moisture, not a calendar alone.
Why can prolonged waterlogging harm crop roots?
A It removes all soil nitrogen
B It stops sunlight reaching leaves
C It limits oxygen availability
D It makes roots drought-proof
Answer: C. It limits oxygen availability. Water-filled pore spaces contain less available oxygen for roots than well-aerated soil.
How should irrigation be prioritized across growth stages?
A Ignore soil moisture
B Protect water-sensitive stages
C Irrigate only after harvest
D Use one fixed schedule everywhere
Answer: B. Protect water-sensitive stages. Crop water sensitivity changes by growth stage; scheduling should reflect crop needs and field conditions.
In many grain crops, why watch water stress near flowering?
A It prevents all lodging
B It increases seed dormancy
C It improves every pollination
D It can impair grain set
Answer: D. It can impair grain set. Water stress around flowering can disrupt reproductive processes and reduce grain set in many crops.
When is weed competition often most damaging to a crop?
A During early crop establishment
B Only after final harvest
C Only during seed storage
D After all weeds set seed
Answer: A. During early crop establishment. Early crop growth is often a critical period for limiting weed competition; timing varies by crop and weed.
What is a practical benefit of hoeing between rows?
A It removes young weeds
B It prevents all water loss
C It certifies seed quality
D It measures crop yield
Answer: A. It removes young weeds. Inter-row hoeing can control young weeds when done without damaging crop roots.
Why choose varieties adapted to local conditions?
A To eliminate crop rotation
B To guarantee market prices
C To reduce climate-related stress
D To avoid all field records
Answer: C. To reduce climate-related stress. Adapted varieties are more likely to perform under local climate, soil, and growing-season conditions.
For many cereal crops, what change can signal maturity?
A Roots turn bright blue
B Grains harden and dry
C Leaves grow new branches
D Stems become fully aquatic
Answer: B. Grains harden and dry. Hardening and drying grain can indicate approaching maturity, but crop-specific signs should guide harvest.
Why can harvesting grain too early reduce quality?
A Crop residues vanish
B Seeds become disease-proof
C Moisture disappears instantly
D Grains may be poorly filled
Answer: D. Grains may be poorly filled. Immature grain may be incompletely filled and can have lower quality; exact harvest signs vary by crop.
Which practice can help limit harvest losses?
A Using damaged equipment
B Timely, careful harvesting
C Leaving lodged crops indefinitely
D Ignoring field maturity
Answer: B. Timely, careful harvesting. Harvesting at appropriate maturity with suitable equipment helps reduce field and handling losses.
How can lodging affect a cereal crop?
A It increases plant spacing
B It fixes nutrient deficiencies
C It prevents grain maturity
D It makes harvesting harder
Answer: D. It makes harvesting harder. Lodged plants may be harder to harvest and can suffer additional quality or yield losses.
What does crop yield commonly measure?
A Output per unit area
B Laborers per farm boundary
C Rainfall per calendar month
D Seed color per plant
Answer: A. Output per unit area. Crop yield is commonly expressed as harvested output per unit of land area.
Given 6 tonnes from 2 hectares, what is the yield?
A 4 tonnes per hectare
B 12 tonnes per hectare
C 3 tonnes per hectare
D 2 tonnes per hectare
Answer: C. 3 tonnes per hectare. Yield equals total production divided by area: 6 tonnes ÷ 2 hectares = 3 tonnes per hectare.
Why keep records of field operations and inputs?
A Replace crop observation
B Guarantee rainfall
C Guide future farm decisions
D Prevent every pest
Answer: C. Guide future farm decisions. Records help compare costs, operations, and results and inform planning for later seasons.
Someone reports the entire harvest without dividing by land area. Which measure is that?
A Total crop production
B Seed rate
C Yield per unit area
D Cropping intensity
Answer: A. Total crop production. Total production is the harvest amount; yield relates that output to a unit of land area.