IAS Mains Paper: Agriculture 2001

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Paper-I

Section A

  1. Write short notes in about 200 words each on any three of the following:
    1. Organic farming
    2. Allelopathy
    3. Recent methods of line sowing
    4. Price fluctuation
  2. Define intercropping. Give the definition of different systems of intercropping each with 3 examples. Discuss the effect of component crops on each other.
  3. What do you mean by IPNM? Discuss it in the context of rice-wheat cropping system.
  4. Write comments on the following:
    1. Intercropping of sugarbeet with sugarcane
    2. Summar sown pigeonpea-wheat rotation
    3. N-application in submerged soils in rice
    4. Wheat after potato and wheat with potato

Section B

  1. Write short notes in about 200 words each on any three of the following:
    1. Agro-techniques for stabilising crop production in rainfed conditions
    2. Scope of agro-forestry
    3. Farm planning
    4. Methods of evaluation of extension programmes
  2. Discuss the different approaches of scheduling irrigation in field crops. Give your opinion about the scope of: Drip and sprinkler irrigation in field crops.
  3. Prepare a production plan for a family farm of 0.5 hectare having four fields irrigated by hired tubewell water in which domestic needs govern the cropping system
  4. Differentiate between the following:
    1. Soil fertility & productivity
    2. Relative & Obnoxious weeds
    3. Synergistic and Legume effect in crops
    4. Maximum yield and Maximum economic yield

Paper-II

Section A

  1. Answer any three of the following in about 200 words each:
    1. Discuss the vole of self-incompatibility in plant breeding.
    2. Briefly explain the salient features of cytoplasmic inheritance.
    3. Briefly describe hybrid seed production of bajra.
    4. Explain the role of vernalization in crop production.
  2. Answer the following questions
    1. Describe the method of back cross breeding used for transfer of recessive disease resistance. Can this method improve yield potential? Justify your answer.
    2. Describe the pure-line selection. How far has this method been useful in evolving high yielding varieties of cereal crops?
    3. Discuss the vole of conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources giving examples.
  3. Answer the following questions
    1. Define plant growth regulators. Classify them according to their mode of action, and discuss their use in horticulture.
    2. Describe the role of photo-morphogenesis in plants and explain the influence of light on biomass accumulation in plants.
    3. Describe the temperature-induced injuries in fruits, vegetables and flower crops. Explain the strategies by which these injuries can be avoided.
  4. Justify the following statements with the help of examples:
    1. Mutation creates variability needed for evolution.
    2. Improved crop varieties have contributed significantly to green revolution in India.
    3. Adoption of bio-technological techniques in horticulture are quite useful.
    4. Apical dominance has great significance in floriculture and landscape gardening.

Section B

  1. Answer any three of the following in about 200 words each, with examples:
    1. Discuss the relevance of pruning and training of horticultural crops.
    2. Explain the causes of guava wilt and describe its control measures.
    3. Discuss the use of herbicides in agriculture and the hazards from their use.
    4. Discuss the reasons for biennial bearing in fruits, and the measures for its alleviation.
  2. Answer the following questions
    1. Describe the ecological classification of horticultural crops in the country. Discuss the climate requirements for litchi, pineapple and cherry, and name three commercial varieties of each of these fruits.
    2. What is the scope for floriculture in India particularly for export purposes? Discuss the package of practices for the cultivation of roses.
    3. Describe the factors responsible for post-harvest losses in fruits and vegetables and the measures to minimise these losses.
  3. Answer the following questions
    1. What are the principles of integrated insect-pest management in agriculture? Describe the methods used for control of pests of citrus fruits.
    2. Discuss the importance and scope of processing of fruits and vegetables. Briefly describe the methods of vegetables preservation with the help of suitable examples.
    3. Differentiate between climacteric and non-climacteric fruits. Explain the changes that occur during maturity and ripening of these fruits.
  4. Explain the following with examples:
    1. Market intelligence and marketing of fruits and vegetables.
    2. Principles of orchard planning.
    3. Role of Apomixis in horticulture.
    4. Use of fungicides for the control of diseases in vegetables crops.