UPSC – Civil Services (Preliminary) Question Paper (Agriculture) 2009

Agriculture

Time : 2 Hours        Total Question: 120           M.M.: 300

23. With reference to “Additive Series type of intercropping system, consider the following statements:

1. the base crop is less than its recommended population in pure stand.

2. The population of intercrop is 100 per cent of its recommended population in its pure stand.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 or 2

24. Which one of the following hormones is responsible for cell division in plant?

(a) Cytokinin

(b) Abscisic acid

(c) Gibberellin

(d) Bassinolide

25. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the correct answer using the code given below the List:

List I (Hormone) List II (Precursors)
A. Auxin 1. Methionine
B. Gibberellin 2. Purine/adenine
C. Ethylene 3. Tryptophan
D. Cytokinin 4. Mevalonic acid
Code:

A B C D
(a) 3 4 1 2
(b) 3 1 4 2
(c) 2 4 1 3
(d) 2 1 4 3
26. Witch one of the following enzymes is activated by Zinc?

(a) Catalase

(b) Peroxidase

(c) Carbonic anhydrase

(d) Nitrare reductase

27. Witch one of the following is the predominant sugar translocated in the phloem  of most crop species?

(a) Glucose

(b) Fructose

(c) Maltose

(d) Sucrose

28. Which one among the following cations is involved in stomatal regulation?

(a) Calcium

(b) manganese

(c) Magnesium

(d) Potassium

29. Witch one of the following fungicides can effectively destroy or inactivate internally seed borne inoculum?

(a) Mancozeb

(b) Thiram

(c) Zineb

(d) Metalaxyl

30. consider the followinh statements:

1. Sclerospora graminicola is an obligate parasite.

2. Albugo candida is a facultative parasite.

which of the statement given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

31. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:

List I  (Common Name) List II (Zoological Name)
A. Mango stem borer 1. Cryptorrynchus mangiferac
B. Mango nut weevil 2. Dacus dorsalis
C. Mango fruit fly 3. Batocera refamaculata
D. Mango mealy bug 4. Drosicha mangiferae
Code:

A B C D
(a) 3 1 2 4
(b) 3 2 1 4
(c) 4 1 2 3
(d) 4 2 1 3
32. Consider the following statements:

1. Pheromones are secreted by the endocrine glands.

2. Sex pheromones are released by both male and female insects.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

33. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:

List I  (Nematode) List II (Scientific Name)
A. Root-knot nematode 1. Heterodera rostochinensis
B. Citrus nematode 2. Pratylenchus sp.
C. Cyst form nematode 3. Meloidogyne incognita
D. Root-lesion nematode 4. Tylenchus semipenetrans
Code:

A B C D
(a) 2 4 1 3
(b) 2 1 4 3
(c) 3 4 1 2
(d) 3 1 4 2
34. According to Schofields ratio law, upon dilution of Na+ concentration by 4 times, the absolute concentration of Ca+Mg must decrease by how many times so that the ratio of the cations absorbed on the colloid surface of the soil remains unchanged?

(a) 4

(b) 8

(c) 12

(d) 16

35. At a particular point on a classical production function graph the magnitudes of TPP, APP and 18, 6 and 7 respectively. What would be the Ep (Elasticity of Production) at this point?

(a) 3

(b) 2.57

(c) 1.16

(d) 0.85

36. In witch type of unemployment marginal productivity of labour is zero?

(a) Structural unemployment

(b) Disguised unemployment

(c) Seasonal unemployment

(d) Frictional unemployment

37. What do you call the price which ensures the same purchasing power per unit to the farmer as was prevalent during a specified base period?

(a) Minimum Support Price

(b) Fixed Administered Price

(c) Remunerative Price

(d) Parity Price

38. What is the cause for downward shift in the curve for an agriculture commodity?

(a) Fall in its price

(b) Rise in the price of substitute

(c) Fall in the price of complement

(d) Rise in the price of complement

39. What was the development model used for the second Five Year Plan?

(a) Harrod – Domar model

(b) Mahalanobis model

(c) Tobin model

(d) Cobb-Douglas model

40. As a country progresses, the relative share of agriculture in the National Income is expected to

(a) Remain the same

(b) Increase

(c) Decrease

(d) Surpass industry

41. A main cause of year to year fluctuation in prices of agricultural commodity is :

(a) Change in demand

(b) Long term trend in price

(c) Business cycle in agricultural production

(d) Change in supply due to weather related factors

42. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:

List I List II
A. Principle of variable proportion 1. Substitution ratio of product = Price ratio
B. Principle of combining enterprises 2. Iso-quant curve inter-sects with Iso-cost line
C. Opportunity Cost principle 3. Marginal Revenue=Marginal cost
D. Principle of Factor substitution 4. Equi-marginal returns from the use of limited resources
Code:

A B C D
(a) 3 1 4 2
(b) 2 1 4 3
(c) 3 4 1 2
(d) 2 4 1 3
43. Producers are reduced to the level of absolute ‘price takers’ under which type of market?

(a) Perfectly competitive market

(b) Monopoly market

(c) Oligopoly market

(d) Duopoly market

44. A line or curve connecting the least cost combination of inputs for different levels of output is referred to as

(a) Expansion path

(b) Isoquant

(c) Iso-cast line

(d) Ridge line

45. The economy in which allocation of resources is depandent totally on the as

(a) Planned economy

(b) Mixed economy

(c) Market economy

(d) Traditional economy

46. Arise in the price of good causes fall in the demand for another good. These two are called as

(a) Identical goods

(b) Complementary goods

(c) Substitutes

(d) Giffen goods

47. Arise in the income of consumers causes a decrease in demand for a commodity. What are such good called?

(a) Superior goods

(b) Inferior goods

(c) Normal goods

(d) Substitute goods

48. Under which cast concept rental value of owned land is include while working out commodities by commission on Agricultural Costs and Prices?

(a) Cost A1

(b) Cost B1

(c) Cost B2

(d) Cost C3

49. Consider the following statements:

1. MPP is inversely related to MC.

2. MPP is always greater than APP.

3. When MPP increases, MC also increases.

4. Total Fixed Cost remains constant, as output increases.

Which of the above statement correctly indicate/indicates the relationship between production and costs?

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 3 Only

(c) 2 and 4

(d) 1 and 4

50. consider the following elements:

1. Aluminium

2. Iron

3. Oxygen

4. Silicon

In terms of their contents presents in the Earth’s crust in descending order, what ids the sequence of the above elements?

(a) 2 – 4 – 3 - 1

(b) 2 – 3 – 4 - 1

(c) 3 – 4 – 1 - 2

(d) 3 – 1 – 4 – 2

51. The specific surface area of clay mineral in soil varies one to another especially for the following clay minerals:

1. Kaolinite

2. Montmorillonite

3. Elite

4. Vermiculite

In terms of specifies surface area of the above clay mineral in soil, in descending order, what is the correct sequence?

(a) 4 – 2 – 3 - 1

(b) 1 – 3 – 2 – 4

(c) 4 – 3 – 2 - 1

(d) 1 – 2 – 3 – 4

52. What is the predominant mechanism of transport of Zn to plant roots?

(a) Mass flow

(b) Diffusion

(c) Contact exchange

(d) Root interception

53. Which one of the following is the formula for calculating “percentage pore space”?

(a) 100-{(Bulk density /Particle density) X 100}

(b) (Bulk density /Particle density) X 100

(c) 100 – {(Particle density/Bulk density) X 100}

(d) (Particle density/Bulk density) X 100

54. What is the sequence of textural classes of soils arranged in increasing order of coarseness ?

(a) Loam, silt loam, sandy loam, loamy sand

(b) Silt loam, sandty loam, loamy sand, loam

(c) Silt loam, loam, sandy loam, loamy sand

(d) Loamy sand,loam, sandy loam, silt loam

55. Cation exchange capacity generally increases as the soil pH

(a) stabilizes

(b) increases

(c) decreases

(d) attains neutrality

56. Match List I with List II and List II and select the correct answer using the code given below List:

List I (Soil moisture constant) List II (pF value)
A. Capillary water 1. Tension free
B. Hygroscopic water 2. 0 to 2.5
C. Ground water 3. 2.5 to 4.5
D. Gravitational water 4. 4.5 to 7.0
Code:

A B C D
(a) 3 4 1 2
(b) 3 1 4 2
(c) 2 4 1 3
(d) 2 1 4 3
57. A major cause for formation of saline and soils is

(a) Intensive use of the land

(b) Inadequate presence of gypsum in soil

(c) Inadequate presence of lime in soil

(d) Poor soil drainage (both surface and internal)

58. Consider the following statements:

1. A fine textured acid soil requires much large quantity of lime than dose large sandy soil or a loamy soil with the same pH value

2. One molecule of calcium oxide, magnesium oxide or calcium hydroxide neutralizes the same amount of acidity as dose one molecule of calcium carbonate.

Which of the following given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 or 2