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

🔥 PLATINUM SERIES 2.0 | VOL. 228

📅 SATURDAY, 14 NOVEMBER 2026

🎯 TARGET EXAMINATION: IBPS AFO Mains – Professional Knowledge

20 QUESTIONS | 40 MARKS | 15 MINUTES

Marking Scheme: +2 for every correct answer | −0.50 for every incorrect answer

Instructions: Select the most appropriate answer. Each question carries 2 marks. Attempt all questions within 15 minutes. Check the answer key only after completing the mock.

Q1. Vernalisation is the process by which flowering is induced or accelerated in certain plants through exposure to:

A. High temperature during flowering

B. Continuous exposure to light

C. Low temperature for a specific period

D. High atmospheric humidity

E. Increased soil salinity

Q2. Which of the following crops is classically regarded as a short-day plant, although photoperiod sensitivity varies among its varieties?

A. Rice

B. Wheat

C. Barley

D. Pea

E. Spinach

Q3. A hard and water-impermeable seed coat prevents germination in certain leguminous seeds. This condition is known as:

A. Morphological dormancy

B. Physiological dormancy

C. Secondary dormancy

D. Physical dormancy

E. Chemical dormancy

Q4. The Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) of a soil primarily indicates its ability to:

A. Conduct electrical current through soil water

B. Fix atmospheric nitrogen

C. Retain only negatively charged ions

D. Prevent all forms of nutrient leaching

E. Retain and exchange positively charged nutrient ions

Q5. Which amendment is commonly used for reclaiming sodic soils by replacing exchangeable sodium with calcium?

A. Lime

B. Gypsum

C. Elemental sulphur

D. Farmyard manure alone

E. Common salt

Q6. When Water Use Efficiency is expressed as crop water productivity based on evapotranspiration, it is calculated as:

A. Total rainfall received per hectare

B. Irrigation water applied per unit of land area

C. Crop yield produced per unit of water consumed through evapotranspiration

D. Soil moisture content at saturation

E. Water lost through deep percolation alone

Q7. Which of the following is a major agronomic advantage of drip irrigation?

A. Application of water near the root zone with reduced evaporation and runoff losses

B. Continuous flooding of the entire field

C. Increased surface runoff

D. Elimination of the need for irrigation scheduling

E. Exclusive suitability for paddy cultivation

Q8. Which combination correctly represents important principles of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI)?

A. Dense transplanting, aged seedlings and continuous flooding

B. Broadcasting of seeds and permanent water stagnation

C. High seed rate and close spacing

D. Young seedlings, wider spacing, intermittent irrigation and improved soil aeration

E. Exclusive dependence on chemical fertilisers

Q9. In hybrid maize seed production, detasseling of female parent rows is undertaken to:

A. Increase the height of female plants

B. Improve seed dormancy

C. Prevent root lodging

D. Accelerate grain drying

E. Prevent self-pollination by removing the male inflorescences

Q10. In artificial hybridisation, emasculation is performed to:

A. Remove the stigma before pollination

B. Remove anthers before pollen shedding

C. Remove the ovary

D. Apply pollen to the stigma

E. Remove the seed coat

Q11. Apomixis is particularly significant in plant breeding because it involves:

A. Seed formation exclusively through cross-pollination

B. Fusion of male and female gametes

C. Formation of seeds without fertilisation

D. Transfer of pollen by insects

E. Fruit formation only after fertilisation

Q12. Wheat stem rust, also known as black rust, is caused by:

A. Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici

B. Ustilago tritici

C. Alternaria triticina

D. Fusarium oxysporum

E. Rhizoctonia solani

Q13. Rice blast disease is caused by:

A. Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

B. Rhizoctonia solani

C. Cochliobolus miyabeanus

D. Magnaporthe oryzae

E. Sclerotium rolfsii

Q14. Trichoderma species are widely used as biological control agents mainly because they:

A. Fix atmospheric nitrogen in legume root nodules

B. Increase soil salinity

C. Act as chemical herbicides

D. Control only sucking insect pests

E. Suppress several soil-borne plant pathogens through biological mechanisms

Q15. Trichogramma species are used in biological pest management as:

A. Predatory mites

B. Egg parasitoids

C. Entomopathogenic bacteria

D. Weed-control agents

E. Plant-growth regulators

Q16. The preservation of green fodder as silage primarily involves:

A. Sun-drying fodder until it becomes completely moisture-free

B. Storing green fodder under aerobic conditions

C. Anaerobic fermentation that produces organic acids and lowers pH

D. Mixing fodder with chemical fertilisers

E. Storing only mature dry hay in open fields

Q17. The major immunological benefit of feeding colostrum to newborn calves soon after birth is:

A. Transfer of maternal antibodies and development of passive immunity

B. Permanent prevention of all infectious diseases

C. Replacement of drinking water throughout life

D. Supply of energy without any immune benefit

E. Immediate development of a fully functional rumen

Q18. In broiler production, Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) is generally calculated as:

A. Body weight divided by bird mortality

B. Feed cost divided by vaccination expenditure

C. Water consumed per bird per day

D. Feed consumed per unit of body-weight gain

E. Egg production divided by feed cost

Q19. The principal purpose of brooding in commercial poultry farming is to:

A. Increase egg shell thickness

B. Induce moulting

C. Improve feed palatability

D. Prevent all infectious diseases

E. Provide suitable warmth to newly hatched chicks

Q20. Crop rotation contributes to sustainable agriculture primarily by:

A. Encouraging continuous cultivation of a single crop

B. Breaking pest and disease cycles and improving nutrient and soil management

C. Eliminating the need for all fertiliser applications

D. Preventing every form of soil erosion

E. Ensuring identical nutrient requirements for all crops

ANSWER KEY

Q1.C

Q2.A

Q3.D

Q4.E

Q5.B

Q6.C

Q7.A

Q8.D

Q9.E

Q10.B

Q11.C

Q12.A

Q13.D

Q14.E

Q15.B

Q16.C

Q17.A

Q18.D

Q19.E

Q20.B

EXPLANATIONS

Q1. C – Low temperature for a specific period

Vernalisation is the induction or acceleration of flowering through exposure to low temperatures. It is important in winter cereals such as wheat and barley. The required temperature and duration vary according to crop species and variety.

Q2. A – Rice

Rice is classically regarded as a short-day plant. Flowering in photoperiod-sensitive varieties is promoted by shorter day lengths. However, modern rice varieties differ considerably in their sensitivity to photoperiod.

Q3. D – Physical dormancy

Physical dormancy occurs when a hard or impermeable seed coat prevents water uptake. It is common in certain leguminous seeds. Scarification, through mechanical or other suitable treatments, can help overcome this dormancy.

Q4. E – Retain and exchange positively charged nutrient ions

CEC indicates the capacity of soil colloids to retain and exchange cations such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and ammonium. Clay minerals and soil organic matter contribute significantly to CEC. Soils with higher CEC generally have greater nutrient-retention capacity.

Q5. B – Gypsum

Gypsum supplies calcium, which replaces exchangeable sodium on soil colloids. The displaced sodium is subsequently removed through leaching, provided adequate drainage and suitable water are available. Gypsum requirement depends on the soil's chemical properties and reclamation objectives.

Q6. C – Crop yield per unit of water consumed through evapotranspiration

Water Use Efficiency, when expressed as crop water productivity based on evapotranspiration, is calculated as crop yield divided by actual crop evapotranspiration. It helps assess how effectively crops convert consumed water into economic yield.

Q7. A – Water application near the root zone

Drip irrigation supplies water directly near the plant root zone in controlled quantities. It can reduce evaporation, runoff and deep percolation losses. It is particularly useful in orchards, vegetables and many horticultural crops.

Q8. D – Young seedlings, wider spacing and intermittent irrigation

The System of Rice Intensification promotes transplanting young seedlings, wider spacing, careful water management and improved soil aeration. It commonly uses intermittent irrigation rather than continuous flooding, along with mechanical weeding and appropriate nutrient management.

Q9. E – Prevention of self-pollination

Detasseling involves removing tassels from female parent rows in hybrid maize seed production before pollen shedding. This prevents self-pollination and allows fertilisation by pollen from the selected male parent rows.

Q10. B – Removal of anthers before pollen shedding

Emasculation is the removal of anthers from a bisexual flower before they release pollen. It is an essential step in artificial hybridisation to prevent unwanted self-pollination. The flower is subsequently pollinated using the selected male parent.

Q11. C – Formation of seeds without fertilisation

Apomixis is a form of asexual reproduction in which seeds develop without fertilisation. It is important in plant breeding because it offers the possibility of maintaining desirable genetic combinations across generations.

Q12. A – Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici

Wheat stem rust, also called black rust, is caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici. It attacks stems, leaves and other above-ground plant parts and can cause substantial yield losses under favourable disease conditions.

Q13. D – Magnaporthe oryzae

Rice blast is caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, also known by its traditional anamorph name Pyricularia oryzae. Typical symptoms include spindle-shaped lesions on leaves. Neck and panicle infection can seriously affect grain formation and yield.

Q14. E – Suppression of soil-borne plant pathogens

Trichoderma species are beneficial fungi used in biological disease management. They suppress several soil-borne pathogens through competition, mycoparasitism and production of antimicrobial compounds. They are used in suitable seed, soil and root-zone treatments.

Q15. B – Egg parasitoids

Trichogramma is a group of minute parasitoid wasps that attack the eggs of several insect pests, particularly certain lepidopteran pests. Their use prevents pest larvae from emerging and damaging crops.

Q16. C – Anaerobic fermentation

Silage is produced by preserving green fodder under anaerobic conditions. Lactic acid bacteria ferment soluble carbohydrates and produce organic acids, which lower the pH and help preserve the fodder for future feeding.

Q17. A – Transfer of maternal antibodies

Colostrum is the first milk produced after calving. It is rich in immunoglobulins, particularly IgG, which provide newborn calves with passive immunity. Feeding adequate good-quality colostrum as early as possible after birth is critical because antibody absorption declines rapidly with time.

Q18. D – Feed consumed per unit of body-weight gain

In broiler production, FCR is generally calculated as the quantity of feed consumed divided by body-weight gain over a specified period. A lower FCR generally indicates better feed efficiency, when comparisons are made under similar conditions.

Q19. E – Providing warmth to newly hatched chicks

Brooding provides the appropriate environmental temperature to newly hatched chicks until they develop adequate thermoregulatory ability. Proper brooding also requires suitable ventilation, litter management, clean water and adequate feeding.

Q20. B – Breaking pest and disease cycles and improving soil management

Crop rotation involves growing different crops sequentially on the same field. It helps interrupt pest and disease cycles, improves nutrient-use efficiency and supports soil health. Including legumes in rotations can also contribute biologically fixed nitrogen to the cropping system.

QUICK REVISION CAPSULE

1. Vernalisation – Flowering induced or accelerated by low-temperature exposure.

2. Short-day crop – Rice is a classical example; varietal responses differ.

3. Physical seed dormancy – Hard or water-impermeable seed coat.

4. CEC – Capacity of soil to retain and exchange cations.

5. Sodic soil reclamation – Gypsum supplies calcium to replace exchangeable sodium.

6. Water Use Efficiency – Yield per unit of water consumed; the denominator depends on the measurement method.

7. Drip irrigation – Controlled water application near the root zone.

8. SRI – Young seedlings, wider spacing, intermittent irrigation and improved aeration.

9. Detasseling – Removal of tassels from female maize rows.

10. Emasculation – Removal of anthers before pollen shedding.

11. Apomixis – Seed formation without fertilisation.

12. Wheat stem rust – Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici.

13. Rice blast – Magnaporthe oryzae.

14. Trichoderma – Biological suppression of several soil-borne pathogens.

15. Trichogramma – Egg parasitoid.

16. Silage – Green fodder preserved through anaerobic fermentation.

17. Colostrum – Provides maternal antibodies and passive immunity.

18. FCR – Feed consumed per unit of body-weight gain.

19. Brooding – Providing suitable warmth to newly hatched chicks.

20. Crop rotation – Helps break pest and disease cycles and improve soil management.

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SELF-ASSESSMENT

36–40 marks: Excellent – Strong command of agricultural concepts.

30–35 marks: Very Good – Revise a few technical areas.

22–29 marks: Good – Strengthen conceptual understanding.

Below 22 marks: Needs improvement – Revisit fundamentals and practise more.

YOUR NEXT STEP – IBR

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