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

🔥 PLATINUM SERIES 2.0 | VOL. 197

📅 13 OCTOBER 2026 | TUESDAY

🎯 TARGET: IBPS AFO • Agriculture Officer • NABARD • RRB

🧠 LEVEL: Mains-Oriented | Conceptual | Application-Based

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SECTION 1: MOCK TEST — 20 MCQs

Q1. In transplanted rice, plants show rusty-brown blotches on older leaves, particularly near the leaf base, stunted growth and reduced tillering. Which nutrient deficiency is most likely responsible?

A. Nitrogen

B. Potassium

C. Zinc

D. Boron

E. Molybdenum

Q2. Chickpea plants show sudden wilting, yellowing and vascular browning. The disease history indicates Fusarium wilt. Which is the most appropriate long-term management strategy?

A. Use resistant varieties and follow suitable crop rotation

B. Apply nitrogen fertilizer repeatedly after wilting begins

C. Increase irrigation to keep the soil continuously saturated

D. Spray insecticides at weekly intervals

E. Harvest the crop immediately after the first symptoms appear

Q3. A farmer wants to reduce weed emergence before sowing a vegetable crop without relying entirely on herbicides. Which practice encourages weeds to germinate before destroying the young weeds prior to planting?

A. Relay cropping

B. Deep summer ploughing alone

C. Intercropping after crop establishment

D. Stubble burning

E. Stale seedbed technique

Q4. A pest population has become less susceptible after repeated use of insecticides with the same mode of action. Which practice is most appropriate for resistance management?

A. Increase the dose beyond the label recommendation

B. Rotate effective insecticides with different modes of action and integrate non-chemical controls

C. Apply the same insecticide more frequently

D. Mix several insecticides indiscriminately

E. Stop monitoring the pest population

Q5. A rainfed farmer expects a dry spell during early crop growth. Which combination is generally most useful for conserving soil moisture and reducing crop competition?

A. Excessive tillage and removal of all crop residues

B. Heavy nitrogen application before rainfall

C. Continuous flooding of the field

D. Timely weed control and suitable surface mulching

E. Increasing plant population beyond the recommended level

Q6. Under PM-KISAN, the standard annual income-support amount for an eligible farmer family is:

A. ₹3,000 in one annual instalment

B. ₹12,000 in two instalments

C. ₹6,000 in three equal instalments

D. ₹6,000 in six monthly instalments

E. ₹10,000 in four instalments

Q7. What is the principal objective of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)?

A. To provide financial protection against specified crop losses arising from insured risks

B. To guarantee a fixed profit to every farmer

C. To provide free fertilizers to all cultivators

D. To replace all agricultural credit facilities

E. To insure farm machinery alone

Q8. The primary purpose of the electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) is to:

A. Provide direct income support to farmers

B. Replace all state agricultural marketing laws automatically

C. Offer crop insurance through a single portal

D. Supply subsidised seeds directly to every village

E. Connect participating agricultural markets electronically to improve transparency and price discovery

Q9. Which of the following is an eligible purpose under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) framework, subject to applicable scheme and lending conditions?

A. Purchase of personal luxury goods unrelated to farming

B. Post-harvest expenses and working capital for eligible allied agricultural activities

C. Speculative investment in unrelated securities

D. Repayment of every personal loan without assessment

E. Only the purchase of agricultural land

Q10. A dairy animal has a swollen udder, abnormal milk containing flakes and reduced milk yield. Which condition should be suspected first?

A. Foot-and-mouth disease

B. Milk fever

C. Bloat

D. Mastitis

E. Ketosis

Q11. In poultry farming, sudden respiratory signs, greenish diarrhoea and nervous symptoms affecting several birds may indicate Newcastle disease. What is the most appropriate response?

A. Sell the affected birds immediately

B. Administer human antibiotics without veterinary advice

C. Isolate affected birds, strengthen biosecurity and seek veterinary diagnosis and control advice

D. Mix sick birds with healthy flocks

E. Ignore the symptoms if some birds continue eating

Q12. Fish in a pond are repeatedly gasping at the water surface during the early morning. What should the farmer suspect first?

A. Low dissolved oxygen

B. Excess dissolved oxygen

C. Excessive water transparency alone

D. High fish growth rate alone

E. Nutrient deficiency in fish feed alone

Q13. A beekeeper learns that a nearby farmer plans to spray an insecticide on a flowering crop. Which precaution is most appropriate to reduce harm to honeybees?

A. Encourage spraying during peak bee activity

B. Move bee colonies into the field during spraying

C. Increase the insecticide concentration

D. Spray without informing nearby beekeepers

E. Coordinate spraying, avoid application during bee foraging and follow label precautions to protect pollinators

Q14. What is a major economic advantage of a Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO)?

A. It guarantees that every member will receive the same profit

B. It can aggregate members' produce and strengthen collective marketing and bargaining power

C. It eliminates all production and price risks

D. It guarantees unrestricted bank credit without appraisal

E. It removes the need for quality standards

Q15. A farmer stores produce in an eligible warehouse and obtains a negotiable electronic warehouse receipt. What is one potential benefit?

A. Automatic exemption from repayment of agricultural loans

B. Guaranteed appreciation in commodity prices

C. Automatic conversion of stored produce into government-owned stock

D. Access to finance against eligible stored produce, subject to lender conditions

E. Elimination of all storage and quality risks

Q16. Why can crop diversification improve the resilience of a farm household?

A. It guarantees the same income every season

B. It eliminates all weather-related risks

C. It can spread production and market risks across crops with different requirements and price movements

D. It makes crop planning unnecessary

E. It removes the need for market information

Q17. Which statement best distinguishes a seasonal crop loan from a long-term agricultural investment loan?

A. A crop loan generally finances seasonal cultivation needs, while a term loan may finance assets such as tractors or irrigation infrastructure

B. A crop loan can only be granted to large farmers

C. A term loan must always be repaid within one crop season

D. Crop loans cannot finance eligible cultivation expenses

E. Agricultural term loans are never subject to credit appraisal

Q18. A seed lot has a recommended seed rate of 20 kg/ha at 100% germination and purity. The available seed lot has 80% germination and 90% physical purity. Assuming the rate is adjusted only for these two factors, how much seed is required per hectare?

A. 18.0 kg

B. 20.0 kg

C. 22.5 kg

D. 25.0 kg

E. 27.8 kg

Q19. A crop is planted at 45 cm between rows and 15 cm between plants within each row. Assuming one plant per planting position and no allowance for field paths, the theoretical plant population per hectare is approximately:

A. 74,074

B. 148,148

C. 111,111

D. 200,000

E. 250,000

Q20. A dairy farmer has six cows producing 8 litres each per day and four cows producing 5 litres each per day. What is the average daily milk yield per cow across the entire herd?

A. 5.8 litres

B. 6.0 litres

C. 6.5 litres

D. 6.8 litres

E. 7.2 litres

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SECTION 2: ANSWER KEY

Q1.C

Q2.A

Q3.E

Q4.B

Q5.D

Q6.C

Q7.A

Q8.E

Q9.B

Q10.D

Q11.C

Q12.A

Q13.E

Q14.B

Q15.D

Q16.C

Q17.A

Q18.E

Q19.B

Q20.D

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SECTION 3: ANSWERS WITH EXPLANATIONS

Q1. Zinc deficiency — Option C

Zinc deficiency in rice can cause rusty-brown blotches on older leaves, stunted growth and reduced tillering. Symptoms may overlap with other disorders; confirm the diagnosis through field assessment and, where needed, soil or plant analysis.

Q2. Fusarium wilt management — Option A

Resistant varieties, healthy seed and suitable crop rotation can help reduce disease pressure. Fertilizer or additional irrigation alone will not cure infected plants.

Q3. Stale seedbed — Option E

A stale seedbed allows a flush of weeds to emerge before planting. The young weeds are then controlled before sowing the crop.

Q4. Insecticide resistance management — Option B

Rotate effective products with different modes of action and integrate cultural and biological controls. Follow approved product labels and local recommendations.

Q5. Soil-moisture conservation — Option D

Timely weed control reduces competition for water. Suitable mulch can reduce evaporation and moderate soil temperature.

Q6. PM-KISAN — Option C

The standard benefit is ₹6,000 annually per eligible landholding farmer family, transferred in three equal instalments, subject to scheme eligibility and exclusions. e-KYC is mandatory.

Official reference: https://pmkisan.gov.in/

Q7. PMFBY — Option A

PMFBY aims to provide financial support to insured farmers for crop losses arising from covered risks. Coverage and claims depend on notified crops, areas and applicable scheme guidelines.

Official reference: https://www.pmfby.gov.in/faq

Q8. e-NAM — Option E

e-NAM is a pan-India electronic trading portal connecting participating agricultural markets. Its objectives include improved transparency, competition and price discovery.

Official reference: https://enam.gov.in/

Q9. Kisan Credit Card — Option B

KCC can support eligible cultivation expenses, post-harvest expenses, produce-marketing loans and working capital for specified allied agricultural activities, subject to scheme provisions and bank assessment.

Official reference: https://fasalrin.gov.in/eligibility

Q10. Mastitis — Option D

Mastitis is inflammation of the mammary gland. Udder swelling, abnormal milk and reduced yield are warning signs requiring veterinary assessment.

Q11. Newcastle disease — Option C

Newcastle disease is a contagious viral disease of poultry. Isolation, biosecurity and prompt veterinary guidance are important. Antibiotics do not treat the viral infection itself.

Q12. Low dissolved oxygen — Option A

Dissolved oxygen can decline overnight because respiration continues while photosynthesis stops. Fish gasping at the surface, particularly around dawn, is a warning sign requiring prompt water-quality assessment and appropriate aeration.

Q13. Pollinator protection — Option E

Coordinate spraying with nearby beekeepers, avoid application during active bee foraging and comply with product-label precautions. Integrated pest management can reduce unnecessary pesticide exposure.

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📊 1. COMMENT YOUR SCORE

How many did you get correct out of 20?

🏆 16–20: Strong performance

📈 12–15: Good progress; revise weak areas

📚 Below 12: Revisit the concepts and attempt again

These are indicative practice benchmarks, not official IBPS cut-offs.

🧠 2. TAKE THE CHALLENGE

Which question tested your understanding the most? Comment with the question number and the concept you need to revise.

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Forward this mock to your IBPS AFO, Agriculture Officer and NABARD preparation groups. Help fellow aspirants practise and improve.

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📌 This is an independently prepared practice mock for learning and self-assessment. It is not an official IBPS question paper.