Practice Test Geeks(CCA) Certified Crop Advisor Practice Test
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Nutrient Management Flashcards

7 cards from real CCA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. Which crop residue management practice most increases the risk of immobilizing soil nitrogen in the following growing season?

    Answer: Incorporating high-C:N ratio corn stover

    Corn stover has a high C:N ratio (~60:1), and when incorporated, soil microbes consume available N to decompose it, temporarily reducing plant-available N.

  2. Sidedress nitrogen applications to corn are typically timed at which growth stage?

    Answer: V5–V6 (fifth to sixth leaf, before rapid N uptake)

    Sidedress N at V5–V6 positions fertilizer just before the period of rapid nitrogen uptake that begins around V8, maximizing efficiency and minimizing early-season loss.

  3. The Haney soil health test is used primarily to estimate:

    Answer: Biologically active C and N and potential N mineralization

    The Haney test uses water extraction and CO₂ respiration to estimate microbially active carbon and nitrogen, helping predict in-season N mineralization.

  4. Which micronutrient deficiency is commonly associated with wet, poorly drained soils in spring and causes 'white bud' or 'whiptail' symptoms in corn?

    Answer: Zinc

    Zinc deficiency in corn on cold, wet, poorly drained soils causes white striping on new leaves (white bud), especially on high-pH or high-phosphorus soils.

  5. Enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) are best defined as products that:

    Answer: Reduce nutrient losses to the environment through controlled release or inhibitor technology

    EEFs include polymer-coated slow-release fertilizers, nitrification inhibitors, and urease inhibitors, all designed to reduce N loss to air and water.

  6. The law of the minimum, attributed to Justus von Liebig, states that crop yield is limited by:

    Answer: The nutrient present in the smallest amount relative to crop need

    Liebig's Law states that growth is controlled by the scarcest essential nutrient—adding more of other nutrients will not increase yield until the limiting one is addressed.

  7. In a nutrient management plan, a pre-sidedress nitrate test (PSNT) soil sample is collected at which depth and growth stage?

    Answer: 0–12 inch depth at corn V4–V6 growth stage

    The PSNT is taken from 0–12 inches when corn is at V4–V6 to assess in-season nitrate supply and determine whether additional sidedress N is economically justified.