CCA Crop Management Systems 2

Question 1

Which cropping system is most effective at breaking pest and disease cycles while maintaining soil health?

Accepted Answer

Crop rotation with diverse species

Answer

Diverse crop rotation interrupts host-specific pest and pathogen cycles while contributing varied organic matter to soil.

Question 2

In a no-till corn-soybean rotation, surface residue management primarily affects which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Soil temperature and moisture in early spring

Answer

Surface residue acts as insulation, keeping soils cooler and retaining moisture in spring, which can delay planting in cold climates.

Question 3

A farmer notices yield drag after several years of continuous corn. Which practice BEST addresses this issue without switching to a different crop?

Accepted Answer

Rotating to soybeans for at least one year

Answer

Continuous corn yield drag is largely caused by pathogen buildup and allelopathic residue effects that only a rotation break can disrupt.

Question 4

What is the primary agronomic benefit of using cover crops in a cash crop system?

Accepted Answer

They prevent soil erosion and improve soil organic matter

Answer

Cover crops protect the soil surface from erosion and decompose to add organic matter, improving soil biology and structure.

Question 5

Strip-till is best described as a system that:

Accepted Answer

Tills only narrow bands where seeds will be placed, leaving inter-row residue intact

Answer

Strip-till disturbs only the planting zone, preserving inter-row residue for erosion control while warming the seedbed.

(CCA) Certified Crop Advisor Practice Test