CSEC Agricultural Science Paper 2 May/June 2012 - Free CXC Past Paper with Answers

What is meant by the term 'pH'?

On whose plot of land is the soil MORE acidic?

Suggest ONE reason that may account for the difference in soil pH between the two plots of land.

Recommend ONE soil management practice that can be used to increase the productivity of acidic soils.

What is meant by the term 'soil erosion'?

What is the relationship between burning and soil erosion as indicated in Table 1?

Suggest ONE practice that can be used to reduce soil erosion.

Name the ration that is fed to the chicks at

two weeks of age.

five weeks of age.

Figure 2 shows brooding of one-day-old chicks in two different situations.

Suggest a reason for the difference in the way the chicks are distributed in A and in B.

State TWO advantages of artificial insemination (AI) in farm animals.

A farmer wants to produce goats during the months of October to December. His Extension Officer advises him to use oestrus synchronisation or artificial insemination. His advice to the farmer is based on the information in Table 2.

Which is the better reproductive technique for producing goats over the months of October to December? Give ONE reason for your answer.

Define EACH of the following terms:

Working capital

Fixed capital

Subsidy

The government of a Caribbean country has given a rural community a tractor to assist them in agricultural production.

Suggest THREE benefits that the tractor will bring to the rural community.

Complete the loan application form below by writing THREE requirements that a farmer needs in order to qualify for a loan from a commercial bank.

Penny Pinchers Bank Ltd.

12 Hutton Street

Zanadu, W.I.

LOAN APPLICATION FORM

Name: Mr Work Dailey Address: 21 Camp Road, St Catherine, Xanadu

Requirements

Suggest THREE additional incentives the government can provide to further improve agriculture in this community.

Briefly describe EACH of the following methods of controlling pests and diseases in agriculture:

Manual

Mechanical

Chemical

CARDI has been informing farmers about white fly infestation on tomato production. They conducted an experiment on the use of sticky traps and insecticides on white fly control. Table 3 shows the results of the experiment.

TABLE 3: CONTROL OF WHITE FLY IN TOMATO PRODUCTION USING DIFFERENT METHODS

What THREE conclusions can be drawn from the information in Table 3?

Suggest THREE other methods that can be used to control white flies in tomato production.

A Livestock Officer decided to introduce a new forage legume from Africa into a Caribbean country. The legume seeds arrived at the airport but had to be destroyed by the Plant Quarantine Officer.

Suggest THREE possible reasons why the seeds had to be destroyed by the Plant Quarantine Officer.

Name THREE ingredients that can be used in making livestock feeds.

A poultry farmer wants to know if rearing broilers on sand is better than rearing them on wood shavings litter. The effect of sand and wood shavings litter on feed conversion ratio (FCR) over four weeks is shown in Table 4.

TABLE 4: EFFECT OF SAND AND WOOD SHAVINGS LITTER ON FEED CONVERSION RATIO (FCR) IN BROILERS

Figure 3 represents the data in Table 4.

Calculate the average FCR over the four weeks on the sand and wood shavings litter systems.

Which is the better system of rearing broilers? Suggest ONE reason for your answer.

Explain ONE possible effect of EACH of the two systems on the health of the broilers.

Suggest THREE OTHER management practices that can affect the performance of broilers up to market age.