www.netajiias.

com 1

Netaji IAS

Civil Service Mains Agriculture Optional Question

Paper 2002

Click here to download PDF

Paper-I

Section A

1. Write short notes in about 200 words each on any three of the following:

a. Production Economics

b. Producer's Surplus

c. Integrated Nutrient Management

d. Role of Agricultural Extension

2. What are the advantages and principle characteristic of farm planning? Name
the different techniques which can be used for farm planning under ideal
conditions.

3. Suggest suitable measures for evergreen revolution on sustainable basis to

meet food and nutritional requirements in the new millenium.

4. Discuss the criteria for scheduling irrigation in field crops. Give their merits
and demerits also.

Section B

1. Write short notes in about 200 words each on any three of the following:

www.netajiias.com Page 1
 www.netajiias.com 2

a. Crop Diversification

b. Azolla as Bio-fertilizer

c. Land Equivalent Ratio

d. Wind Erosion

2. Why is rice-wheat cropping sequence considered important among other crop

sequences in the country? Describe briefly the limiting factors and remedial
measures associated with this crop sequence for their higher production.

3. Give in tabular form sowing time, seed rate, spacing, fertilizer and irrigation
schedules of paddy, wheat, pigeon pea, mustard, linseed and berseem for their
higher productivity.

4. Write the role of dryland agriculture and its problems. Briefly describe the
suitable technologies for increasing and stabilising agricultural production
from such areas on watershed basis.

Paper-II

Section A

1. Answer any three of the following in about 200 words each:

a. Define dichogamy. Describe in brief protogyny and protandry.

b. What is self-incompatibility? Describe in brief the mechanism of self

incompatibility.

c. What is biometry? Discuss the usefulness of biometrical techniques to

the plant breeders.

www.netajiias.com Page 2
 www.netajiias.com 3

d. Define hybridization. Describe in-brief the various types of

hybridization.

2. Answer the following questions

a. Describe in brief emasculation and discuss the various methods of

emasculation.

b. What is inbreeding? Discuss in brief the effects of inbreeding.

c. Define mass selection. Explain the procedure of mass selection and

discuss its merits and demerits.

3. Answer the following questions

a. Briefly describe the bulk method of breeding and its applications in crop
improvement programme.

b. Discuss in brief the progeny selection and describe its merits and
demerits.

c. Define and discuss plant growth regulators and their use in agriculture.

4. Write short notes on the following:

a. Transgenic plants

b. Pheromones

c. Disease complex of cotton

Section B

1. Answer any three of the following in about 200 words:

www.netajiias.com Page 3
 www.netajiias.com 4

a. Define and discuss insecticide resistance management (I. R M) for a

pest.

b. Define Grain storage and describe integrated pest management of a

storage pest.

c. Discuss in brief the package of practices for the cultivation of tomato.

d. Briefly describe the Indian Seed Act (1966).

2. Describe the nature of damage, life history and management of following

insect-pests and diseases:

a. Melong fruit fly

b. Spotted ball worm of cotton

c. Rice Tungro Virus

3. Answer the following questions

a. List the various international agencies and institutes concerned with the
improvement of agriculture production. Briefly describe the objectives
and functions of any two of them.

b. Give an account in brief on Genetically Modified Crops.

c. Discuss in brief the post harvest losses in fruits and vegetables, and the
measures to minimize these losses.

4. Write short notes on the following:

a. Carbamate insecticides

b. Methods of raising ornamental plants

www.netajiias.com Page 4
 www.netajiias.com 5

c. Neem in pests control

www.netajiias.com Page 5