Question 3
(a) Identify each of the illustrated management practices. (3 marks)
(b) Mention two crops each that require the management practices labelled I and II. (4 marks)
(c) Name two plant materials that could be used as A in diagram III. (2 marks)
(d) Give two advantages each of the management practices labelled I, II and III. (6 marks)
Observation
Candidates’ responses to Question 3 was above average although few were unable to mention plant materials that could be used as mulch as well as the advantages of the
three management practices.
The expected answers include:
(a) Identification of management practices
I – shading/nursery
II – staking
III – mulching
(b) Crops that require I (Shading) and II (Staking)
I (Shading)
- Cocoa - Citrus
- Kola - Oil palm
- Vegetables/named vegetables - Mango
II (Staking)
- Tomato - Yam - Cucumber
- Melon - Pepper - Pumpkin
- Cowpea
(c) Plant materials that could be used as A (Mulch) in diagram III (Mulching)
- Grass/dry grass/any named dry grass
- Straw
- Groundnut shell
- Saw dust
- Leaves/dry leaves
- Wood chips
- Hay
(d) Advantages of the Management Practices
I (Shading)
- Protect crops from excessive sunlight, rainfall, strong winds/harsh environmental conditions
- Improves yield
- Improves quality of produce
- Survival rate of seedling from nursery is higher
- Plants are protected from pests and diseases
II (Staking)
- Prevents lodging of plants - Reduces fruit rotting
- Improves air circulation - Saves space
- Prevents pest attack on fruits
- Gives room for easy movement on the farm
- Increases yield/exposes leaves to sunlight for photosynthesis
III (Mulching)
- Helps to conserve soil water
- Suppresses weeds
- Add nutrients to the soil when decayed
- Prevents scorching of plants roots/moderate soil temperature
- Reduces fruit rot and fungal diseases
- Improves the activity of soil microbes
- Reduces soil erosion