(Paper) IAS Mains Previous Years Paper : Agriculture (1996)

IAS Mains Previous Years Paper : Agriculture (1996)

PAPER - I
SECTION A
1. Write short critical notes in about 200 words each on any three of the following:
(a) Fanning system approach
(b) Flue curing
(c) Nitrification inhibitors
(d) Research- Extension - Farmer Linkage

2. Discuss the five major improved management practices for increasing cotton and sugarcane production in the country.

3. Suggest various approaches of scheduling irrigation in field crops and select the most appropriate one with reasoning. Describe one of the approaches for scheduling irrigation in cereal crops.

4. Classify the herbicides used for weed control in field crops. Discuss the integrated weed management parctices for paddy - wheat rotation of North-Western India

SECTION B
5. Write short critical notes in about 200 words each on any three of the following:
(a) Sodic soils
(b) Pudding in rice
(c) Role of solar radiation in rice
(d) Soil water

6. What do you understand by soil and water conservation? Describe the situations under which these are considered essential. Suggest suitable soil and water conservation practices under levelled field conditions.

7. Explain the climatic and edaphic factors that form the constraints associated with dryland agriculture. Describe the measures which will help in the reduction of runoff and increase the infiltration of water in soil.

8. What do you mean by producer's surplus of agricultural commodities? Describe its importance and relationship between marketed and marketable surplus along with the factors which affects them.

PAPER - II
SECTION A
1. Answer any three of the following in about 200 words each:
(a) What are the factors that influence enzymatic reactions? Explain with suitable examples.
(b) White fruit colour in summer squash is dependent on a dominant allele (W), and coloured fruit on the recessive allele (w}.In the presence of wwand a dominant gene (G), the colour is yellow, but when G is absent (i.e.gg), the colour is green. Give the F2 phenotyes and proportions that are expected from crossing a white - fruited (WWGG) with green- fruited (wwgg) plant.
(c) What is hybridisation? Briefly describe various steps involved in crop improvement by hybridisation.
(d) Explain the internal and external factors that favour following.

2. (a) Discuss the success/failures of Green Revolution,
(b) Comment upon fossil energy, fixation of energy and biomass.

3. (a) What are the components of cytoplasm? Give their functions.'
(b) (i) Discuss passive and active uptake of nutrients by plants.
(ii) Discuss the principles of breaking seed dormancy.

4. Write short notes on:
(a) Embryo-rescue
(b) ATP
(c) Photorespiration
(d) Polyploidy
(e) IPR
(f) Biodiversity

SECTION B
5. Answer / comment upon any three of the following in about 200 words each :
(a) What is the role of seed born infection in epiphytotics? Give examples in support of your answer.
(b) Describe the role of organic functional groups found in pesticidal molecules.
(c) Enumerate 10 most important differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes. List five diseases of national importance caused by organisms in each of above two groups and mention their 'hot spots' in India.
(d) What are pheromones? How do they affect behaviour of insects?

6. (a) Describe the Puccinia path in relation to the management of wheat rusts through deployment of host resistant genes.
(b) Discuss the advantages of alternation of generations in - aphids.

7. (a) What is the mode of action of Bacillus thuringinesis endotoxin? Give a critical account of its exploitation in the control of insect pests in field crops.
(b) Comment upon fruits as a major export earning product.
(c) How is agricultural productivity affected by cropping pattern in relation to different soils in India.
(d) Enumerate the agro-ecological zones of India.

8. Comment upon :
(a) Role of vegetables in human nutrition.
(b) Strategy for increasing food production in India.
(c) Growing export opportunities of floriculture.