INDIAN BANKING RADAR (IBR) - IBPS AFO MAINS AGRICULTURE INTELLIGENCE MOCK

🔥 PLATINUM SERIES 2.0 | VOL. 215

📅 FRIDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2026

🎯 TARGET EXAMINATION

IBPS AFO Mains — Professional Knowledge

📝 20 QUESTIONS | 20 MARKS | 15 MINUTES

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🌱 AGRICULTURE INTELLIGENCE CHALLENGE

Test your applied knowledge across seed science, agronomy, plant breeding, soil science, entomology, horticulture, livestock, agricultural engineering and farm management.

Instructions: Attempt all 20 questions in 15 minutes. Check the answer key only after completing the mock.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Q1. A seed lot has 90% physical purity and 80% germination. Approximately how much of this seed lot is required to obtain 20 kg of pure live seed?

A. 22.22 kg

B. 25.00 kg

C. 27.78 kg

D. 30.00 kg

E. 32.50 kg

Q2. Rice plants develop diamond-shaped lesions with grey or whitish centres and dark margins on their leaves. Which pathogen is associated with rice blast?

A. Magnaporthe oryzae

B. Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

C. Rhizoctonia solani

D. Ustilaginoidea virens

E. Fusarium oxysporum

Q3. In wheat cultivation, which irrigation stage is particularly critical for establishing an adequate root system and supporting subsequent crop growth?

A. Physiological maturity

B. Late dough stage

C. Harvesting stage

D. Post-harvest stage

E. Crown root initiation stage

Q4. In plant breeding, heterosis refers to the phenomenon in which:

A. A plant loses all its desirable traits after self-pollination

B. The F₁ hybrid exhibits superior performance over its parents for one or more traits

C. All offspring are genetically identical to the female parent

D. Recessive alleles are permanently eliminated from a population

E. Environmental variation disappears in hybrid crops

Q5. Which vegetative propagation method is commonly used commercially to propagate mango plants true to type?

A. Direct sowing of kernels

B. Propagation exclusively through leaf cuttings

C. Propagation through root tubers

D. Grafting

E. Propagation through runners

Q6. A farmer installs species-specific pheromone traps in a crop field to monitor a moth pest. Their principal purpose is to:

A. Increase the crop's nitrogen fixation

B. Attract and monitor target insects, commonly male moths, to support pest-management decisions

C. Eliminate all pest stages immediately

D. Replace all field scouting and pest identification

E. Improve soil water-holding capacity

Q7. Which combination generally contributes most directly to a higher cation-exchange capacity (CEC) in soil?

A. Low organic matter and coarse sand

B. Reduced clay content and low humus

C. Greater amounts of suitable clay minerals and soil organic matter

D. Complete removal of exchangeable cations

E. Increased gravel content alone

Q8. A crop shows yellowing first in older leaves, while younger leaves remain relatively green. Which nutrient deficiency is a likely cause?

A. Nitrogen

B. Calcium

C. Iron

D. Boron

E. Sulphur

Q9. Which sequence correctly represents complete metamorphosis in a typical butterfly?

A. Egg → Nymph → Adult

B. Larva → Egg → Pupa → Adult

C. Egg → Pupa → Nymph → Adult

D. Egg → Larva → Pupa → Adult

E. Egg → Adult → Larva → Pupa

Q10. A farmer borrows money by handing over possession of stored agricultural produce to the lender as security, subject to the applicable agreement. Which form of security is this?

A. Mortgage

B. Hypothecation

C. Assignment

D. Guarantee

E. Pledge

Q11. A farm produces 5,000 kg of grain per hectare using 1,000 mm of water. If 1 mm of water over one hectare equals 10 cubic metres, what is the water productivity?

A. 0.5 kg/m³

B. 1.0 kg/m³

C. 2.0 kg/m³

D. 5.0 kg/m³

E. 10.0 kg/m³

Q12. Which laboratory test uses tetrazolium staining to assess seed viability based on the activity of living tissues?

A. Standard germination test alone

B. Physical purity analysis

C. Seed moisture determination

D. Tetrazolium viability test

E. Seed-weight determination

Q13. Citrus plants develop raised, corky lesions surrounded by yellow halos on leaves and fruits. Which disease is the most likely diagnosis?

A. Citrus tristeza

B. Citrus canker

C. Citrus greening caused by a phytoplasma

D. Powdery mildew

E. Apple scab

Q14. Vernalisation refers to the promotion or acceleration of flowering in certain plants through:

A. Continuous exposure to high temperatures

B. Complete deprivation of water during germination

C. Exposure to intense ultraviolet radiation alone

D. Removal of all leaves before flowering

E. Exposure to an appropriate period of low temperature

Q15. Foot-and-mouth disease primarily affects which group of animals?

A. Poultry and other birds exclusively

B. Honeybees and silkworms

C. Cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and pigs

D. Fish and freshwater prawns

E. Horses exclusively

Q16. Under the conventional classification based on saturated-paste extract electrical conductivity at 25°C, a soil with an ECe of 6 dS/m would be classified as:

A. Saline soil

B. Sodic soil solely on the basis of EC

C. Acid sulphate soil solely on the basis of EC

D. Peaty soil

E. Normal soil with no salinity concern

Q17. A plant breeder repeatedly crosses offspring carrying a desired gene with an established superior variety to recover most of that variety's genetic background. Which breeding method is being used?

A. Mass selection

B. Pure-line selection

C. Mutation breeding alone

D. Backcross breeding

E. Recurrent selection exclusively

Q18. A tropical fruit develops internal browning and poor ripening after being stored at an excessively low temperature above its freezing point. This disorder is most consistent with:

A. Sunscald

B. Chilling injury

C. Mechanical threshing damage

D. Waterlogging injury in the field

E. Mineral toxicity caused by soil salinity

Q19. Why can including a suitable legume crop in a rotation reduce the requirement for externally supplied nitrogen in a subsequent crop?

A. Legumes absorb unlimited nitrogen directly from the atmosphere through leaves

B. Legumes eliminate all nitrogen losses from the soil

C. Legumes convert phosphorus into atmospheric nitrogen

D. Legumes prevent all soil microorganisms from functioning

E. Biological nitrogen fixation can add nitrogen to the farming system, with benefits depending on residue and crop management

Q20. A tractor covers 3 hectares in 5 hours under actual field conditions. What is its effective field capacity?

A. 0.3 ha/hour

B. 0.5 ha/hour

C. 0.6 ha/hour

D. 1.0 ha/hour

E. 1.5 ha/hour

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

✅ ANSWER KEY

Q1.C

Q2.A

Q3.E

Q4.B

Q5.D

Q6.B

Q7.C

Q8.A

Q9.D

Q10.E

Q11.A

Q12.D

Q13.B

Q14.E

Q15.C

Q16.A

Q17.D

Q18.B

Q19.E

Q20.C

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

📖 EXPLANATIONS & LEARNING POINTS

Q1. C — 27.78 kg

Pure live seed fraction = Physical purity × Germination fraction.

= 0.90 × 0.80 = 0.72.

Required seed lot = 20 ÷ 0.72 = 27.78 kg approximately.

Exam tip: Always convert percentages to decimals before multiplying.

Q2. A — Magnaporthe oryzae

This fungus causes rice blast. Typical symptoms include spindle-shaped or diamond-shaped lesions with grey centres and darker margins.

Differentiate: Bacterial leaf blight of rice is caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae.

Q3. E — Crown root initiation

Crown root initiation (CRI) is an important irrigation stage in wheat, generally occurring around 20–25 days after sowing, depending on temperature, variety and growing conditions.

Timely irrigation supports root establishment and tiller development.

Exam tip: Irrigation scheduling must account for soil moisture, rainfall and crop stage.

Q4. B — Superior F₁ hybrid performance

Heterosis, or hybrid vigour, occurs when an F₁ hybrid performs better than its parents for one or more traits.

It may improve yield, vigour or stress tolerance, depending on the crop and genetic combination.

Remember: Heterosis is not the same as heritability.

Q5. D — Grafting

Grafting combines a scion from a desirable mango variety with a suitable rootstock. It helps maintain varietal identity and generally brings plants into bearing earlier than seed propagation.

Exam tip: Seed-grown mango plants may not reproduce the parent variety true to type.

Q6. B — Pest monitoring

Pheromone traps attract target insects using species-specific chemical signals. Monitoring trap catches can help assess pest activity and guide timely management.

Important: Trap catches must be interpreted alongside field scouting, crop stage and locally recommended thresholds.

Q7. C — Clay minerals and organic matter

CEC represents the soil's capacity to retain and exchange positively charged ions. Many clay minerals and soil organic matter contribute substantially to CEC.

Practical importance: CEC influences nutrient retention, buffering and fertiliser-management decisions.

Q8. A — Nitrogen

Nitrogen is mobile within plants. When supply is insufficient, nitrogen can be redistributed from older leaves to younger growing tissues, causing older leaves to become chlorotic.

Compare: Iron deficiency often appears first in younger leaves because iron is relatively immobile within plants.

Q9. D — Egg → Larva → Pupa → Adult

Complete metamorphosis includes four distinct developmental stages.

Examples include butterflies, moths, beetles and many flies.

Differentiate: Incomplete metamorphosis generally involves egg, nymph and adult stages without a pupal stage.

Q10. E — Pledge

In a pledge, possession of movable goods is transferred to the lender as security, subject to the applicable legal arrangement.

Differentiate: Under hypothecation, the borrower generally retains possession of the goods while creating a security interest in favour of the lender.

Q11. A — 0.5 kg/m³

Water used = 1,000 mm × 10 m³/ha/mm = 10,000 m³/ha.

Water productivity = 5,000 kg ÷ 10,000 m³.

= 0.5 kg/m³.

Formula: Water productivity = Crop output ÷ Water used.

Q12. D — Tetrazolium viability test

Tetrazolium testing uses a chemical indicator to reveal metabolic activity in living seed tissues. Living tissues develop characteristic staining, helping assess viability.

Remember: A viability test and a standard germination test assess related but different aspects of seed quality.

Q13. B — Citrus canker

Citrus canker is a bacterial disease caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri. Typical symptoms include raised corky lesions, often surrounded by yellow halos.

Management: Use healthy planting material, follow sanitation practices and apply locally recommended disease-management measures.

Q14. E — Low-temperature treatment

Vernalisation is the induction or acceleration of flowering through exposure to a suitable period of low temperature in responsive plants.

It is important in several winter cereals and biennial species.

Exam trap: Vernalisation is a temperature response; photoperiodism is a response to day length and night duration.

Q15. C — Cloven-hoofed animals

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease affecting susceptible cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and pigs.

Learning point: It is distinct from human hand, foot and mouth disease. Veterinary reporting, biosecurity and vaccination under applicable programmes are important control measures.

Q16. A — Saline soil

Under conventional classification, saline soil has an ECe exceeding 4 dS/m at 25°C. An ECe of 6 dS/m therefore indicates salinity.

Important: Electrical conductivity alone does not establish that a soil is sodic. Sodicity assessment requires additional information, including exchangeable sodium status.

Q17. D — Backcross breeding

Backcross breeding transfers a desired trait or gene into an established variety by crossing selected offspring repeatedly with the recurrent parent.

Selection helps retain the target trait while recovering the desirable background of the recurrent parent.

Remember: The recurrent parent is the variety whose characteristics the breeder seeks to retain.

Q18. B — Chilling injury

Chilling injury occurs in susceptible produce exposed to temperatures that are too low but remain above freezing. Symptoms may include internal browning, poor ripening, pitting and increased susceptibility to decay.

Practical point: Appropriate storage temperature varies by commodity and maturity stage.

Q19. E — Biological nitrogen fixation

Suitable legumes form symbiotic associations with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, allowing atmospheric nitrogen to enter the agricultural system.

The benefit to a subsequent crop depends on the amount of nitrogen fixed, crop residues retained, harvest removal, soil conditions and management.

Exam tip: Nitrogen benefits are not automatic or identical across all legume rotations.

Q20. C — 0.6 ha/hour

Effective field capacity = Actual area covered ÷ Total time.

= 3 ha ÷ 5 hours = 0.6 ha/hour.

Differentiate: Theoretical field capacity assumes ideal field operation. Effective field capacity accounts for actual field performance and time losses.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🎯 FINAL REVISION CAPSULE

🌱 Seed science: Pure live seed fraction = Purity × Germination.

🍂 Plant pathology: Rice blast — Magnaporthe oryzae.

🌾 Wheat agronomy: CRI is a critical irrigation stage.

🧬 Plant breeding: Heterosis = superior F₁ performance; backcrossing transfers a desired trait into an established variety.

🥭 Horticulture: Grafting helps maintain desirable mango varietal characteristics.

🐛 Entomology: Pheromone traps support target-pest monitoring.

🧱 Soil science: Clay minerals and organic matter contribute to CEC.

🌿 Plant nutrition: Nitrogen deficiency commonly causes chlorosis in older leaves.

🦋 Insect biology: Complete metamorphosis — egg, larva, pupa, adult.

🏦 Agricultural finance: Pledge involves transfer of possession; hypothecation generally does not.

💧 Water management: Water productivity = Crop output ÷ Water used.

🌾 Seed testing: Tetrazolium staining helps assess seed viability.

🍋 Plant pathology: Citrus canker — Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri.

❄️ Plant physiology: Vernalisation involves a suitable low-temperature treatment.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

📊 SELF-ASSESSMENT

🏆 18–20: Excellent — maintain accuracy and speed.

🎯 15–17: Very good — revise missed concepts.

📘 12–14: Strengthen subject-wise fundamentals.

📚 Below 12: Revisit core agricultural science and practise again.

Challenge: Aim for at least 18 correct answers in 15 minutes.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🚀 TAKE ACTION WITH IBR

📌 ATTEMPT: Complete all 20 questions in 15 minutes.

📌 ANALYSE: Identify calculation errors and conceptual gaps.

📌 REVISE: Study the explanations and final revision capsule.

📌 FOLLOW: Follow Indian Banking Radar for agriculture, banking and competitive-exam practice.

📌 SAVE & SHARE: Keep this mock for revision and share it with fellow IBPS AFO aspirants.

📌 COMMENT: Post your score out of 20 and mention the topic you found most challenging.

🌾 READ • PRACTISE • REVISE • SUCCEED

🌐 INDIAN BANKING RADAR (IBR)

Your Daily Intelligence Partner for Competitive Examinations.

#IndianBankingRadar #IBPSAFO #AgricultureMCQs #AFOAspirants #AgricultureOfficer #PlatinumSeries