Agronomy

1. C
2. C
3. A
4. C
5. C
6. C
7. D
8. A
9. B
10. B
11. A
12. C
13. B
14. C
15. C
16. A
17. A
18. C
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20. D
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22. A
23. A
24. A
25. A
26. A
27. B
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29. C
30. A
31. B
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34. B
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36. A
37. C
38. C
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43. D
44. D
45. A
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47. C
48. A
49. C
50. C
51. B
52. C
53. C
54. D

Sample Agronomy Practice Questions

Try these questions from our free Agronomy practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.

1. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) of a soil indicates its ability to do what?

   • A. Drain excess water
   • B. Hold and supply nutrients
   • C. Fix atmospheric nitrogen
   • D. Resist compaction

   Answer: B. Hold and supply nutrients

   CEC measures the soil's capacity to hold positively charged nutrient ions and supply them to plants.

2. What is the primary greenhouse gas emitted from flooded rice paddies?

   • A. Carbon dioxide (CO2)
   • B. Nitrous oxide (N2O)
   • C. Methane (CH4)
   • D. Ammonia (NH3)

   Answer: C. Methane (CH4)

   Flooded rice paddies create anaerobic conditions that promote methanogenesis by archaea, making rice production a significant source of methane emissions.

3. Which soil texture has the largest individual particle size?

   • A. Clay
   • B. Silt
   • C. Sand
   • D. Loam

   Answer: C. Sand

   Sand particles are the largest, ranging from 0.05 to 2.0 mm in diameter.

4. What crop has the highest likelihood of genetic variation?

   • A. Sorghum
   • B. Groundnut
   • C. Rice
   • D. Maize

   Answer: D. Maize

   Maize (corn) exhibits a high degree of genetic variation primarily because it is an open-pollinated, cross-pollinating crop. Its reproductive system, with separate male and female flowers on the same plant (monoecious), naturally encourages outcrossing. This constant mixing of genetic material from different parent plants leads to a wide range of genetic diversity within maize populations, making it highly amenable to breeding and selection.

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