New Curriculum Third Term Crop Production and Horticulture examination for SS 1

Class: SS 1
Term: Third Term
Subject: Crop Production and Horticulture
Time: 2 hours
Total Marks: 70

SECTION A: OBJECTIVES (40 Marks)
Instruction: Answer all 40 questions. Each question carries 1 mark. Select the best option (a), (b), (c) or (d).

1. Consider the following situation: A seedling venture needs an initial investment of ₦150,000 and expects net annual earnings of ₦50,000. If earnings remain constant, how many years recover the initial investment without discounting? (a) 2 years    (b) 5 years    (c) 4 years    (d) 3 years
2. The total number of seeds required for four seeds at each of 120 stations is ________. (a) 30    (b) 124    (c) 240    (d) 480
3. A school observes that several cuttings rot before rooting. Which practice should be reviewed first? (a) Changing cutting length without addressing wet medium    (b) Clean tools, drainage and moisture management    (c) Increasing cutting density without examining rot    (d) Adding shade without assessing the infected medium
4. The best reason to maintain accurate farm-business records is to ________. (a) avoid answering customer questions    (b) eliminate all weather risks    (c) make all harvests identical    (d) support honest decisions, accountability and evidence of transactions
5. Two crops are grown in alternating strips to simplify management while retaining diversity. What system is most consistent with this arrangement? (a) Continuous sole cropping    (b) Strip cropping    (c) Monocropping    (d) Plant propagation by layering
6. Scenario: A nursery has surplus healthy vegetable seedlings and strong demand from local growers. Which business option fits the available resources? (a) Discard surplus seedlings without checking buyers    (b) Start an unrelated enterprise without any market assessment    (c) Promise unlimited stock when only a few trays remain    (d) Sell well-labelled seedlings with verified variety and quality information
7. Suppose that a cutting has leaves but no roots. Which environment generally improves the chance of successful establishment? (a) Direct dry hot wind throughout the day    (b) Waterlogged medium with no aeration    (c) Suitable moisture, clean medium and limited excessive water loss    (d) Rough handling of the cut base
8. Two sellers agree to hide known defects in seed lots to increase sales. The likely long-term consequence is ________. (a) reduced need for transparent information    (b) automatic improvement in germination    (c) loss of customer trust and potential harm to farmers    (d) guaranteed repeat business
9. Which planting decision best responds to a forecast of unreliable early-season rainfall? (a) Sow into completely dry soil regardless of risk    (b) Choose an appropriate sowing window based on soil moisture and crop requirements    (c) Change the seed's label instead of the field plan    (d) Ignore germination needs after planting
10. A farmer considers two enterprises: A has expected net earnings of ₦90,000 with reliable demand; B offers ₦120,000 only if an unverified buyer appears. Which assessment is prudent? (a) Choose B automatically because its possible figure is larger    (b) Assume both businesses have equal risk    (c) Compare demand reliability, costs and risk instead of choosing expected earnings alone    (d) Ignore how products reach customers
11. Which enterprise is most directly linked to horticultural production skills? (a) Raising and marketing grafted fruit seedlings    (b) Printing examination certificates only    (c) Building vehicle engines from metal scrap    (d) Repairing household radio circuits
12. Scenario: A farmer's first maize crop is harvested and a vegetable crop is planted on the same plot within one year. This illustrates ________. (a) permanent fallowing    (b) seed dormancy    (c) sequential multiple cropping    (d) simultaneous intercropping
13. Which factor is NOT a desirable quality of an agricultural business opportunity? (a) An identified customer need    (b) Dependence on an illegal or deceptive sales claim    (c) Access to suitable skills and inputs    (d) A credible route to profit after costs
14. Which statement correctly distinguishes mixed cropping from intercropping? (a) Both require planting no crops in alternate years    (b) Intercropping always means one crop only    (c) Mixed cropping cannot contain more than one crop    (d) Intercropping uses a more deliberate spatial arrangement, whereas mixed cropping may lack distinct row organisation
15. Scenario: A grower knows that a batch of seedlings is infected but labels it disease-free to secure an order. Which ethical standard is violated? (a) Accurate record keeping    (b) Quality assurance    (c) Honesty and fair disclosure    (d) Respect for customer information
16. The ________ system alternates maize and legumes on the same plot across seasons. (a) Crop rotation    (b) simultaneous mixed cropping    (c) monocropping in every season    (d) random harvesting
17. In this case, a scion grows initially after grafting but fails because tissues do not unite successfully. Which cause may be involved? (a) High nitrogen supply without cambial contact    (b) Amount of grafting wax without union alignment    (c) Scion age alone without stock compatibility    (d) Poor stock–scion compatibility or cambial alignment
18. Scenario: A nursery manager needs a healthy stem cutting. Which parent material is preferable? (a) A disease-free vigorous shoot appropriate to the plant and method    (b) A damaged branch taken from waste stock    (c) A completely rotted stem section    (d) A visibly diseased, weak shoot
19. A vegetable business produces 600 bundles costing ₦180,000 in total and sells all bundles for ₦400 each. What is the gross surplus before other charges? (a) ₦240,000    (b) ₦60,000    (c) ₦420,000    (d) ₦180,000
20. Suppose that a seller's market is far from the nursery, causing repeated losses of delicate plants. Which feasibility issue is illustrated? (a) Gross revenue without deducting delivery costs    (b) Transport and post-production loss can reduce actual profitability    (c) Distance only without estimating transit losses    (d) Plant survival at nursery without assessing market handling
21. In this case, a farmer compares patterns for three plots with different soil moisture. Which approach is sound? (a) Impose identical patterns despite strong environmental differences    (b) Choose only by the most attractive crop name    (c) Adapt crop sequence and spatial arrangement to the conditions of each plot    (d) Ignore the previous season's crop
22. In this case, a farmer intercrops a tall cereal and a short legume without considering shade. Which factor should be assessed? (a) Selling price alone without estimating competition for water    (b) Competition for sunlight, spacing and timing between component crops    (c) Harvesting convenience without examining shade competition    (d) Plant density without accounting for crop height
23. Consider the following situation: A farmer sows very small seeds far deeper than recommended. Which establishment problem may result? (a) Soil depth cannot affect seedlings    (b) Seedlings may lack the energy to emerge successfully    (c) Deeper sowing guarantees earlier emergence    (d) Every tiny seed becomes drought-tolerant
24. Why is correct cambial contact important in grafting? (a) It substitutes for safe handling    (b) It makes fertiliser unnecessary for life    (c) It supports formation of a functional union and transport between partners    (d) It changes a scion into a seed immediately
25. In this case, a farm repeats a pattern of maize after maize and observes increasing disease pressure. Which change deserves consideration? (a) Introduce a suitable rotation and monitor disease outcomes    (b) Increase planting density regardless of crop health    (c) Remove every legume from the plan    (d) Continue indefinitely without recording results
26. Which planning advantage may result from a well-designed crop rotation? (a) Identical nutrient uptake regardless of crop    (b) Automatic immunity to every disease    (c) Guaranteed elimination of all agricultural inputs    (d) Better pest and nutrient management when appropriate crops are sequenced
27. Which practice is NOT appropriate for protecting cuttings before planting? (a) Keeping them appropriately moist    (b) Handling gently to avoid tissue damage    (c) Leaving prepared cuttings exposed to intense sun until they wilt    (d) Using clean tools and a suitable rooting medium
28. Suppose that a farmer chooses a vigorous rootstock but cannot identify whether it is suitable for the selected scion. What should happen before grafting? (a) Assume every woody plant can be grafted to any other    (b) Confirm botanical compatibility and appropriate grafting conditions    (c) Ignore whether cambial tissues meet    (d) Use damaged tools to increase contact
29. A student prepares cuttings with a blunt dirty knife. What two problems are most likely? (a) Ragged tissue damage and possible transmission of disease    (b) Guaranteed insect resistance    (c) Automatic root formation and uniform cuts    (d) Higher photosynthesis without leaves
30. Consider the following situation: A successful graft produces shoots from below the graft union that compete with the scion. What management is generally appropriate? (a) Remove unwanted rootstock shoots while protecting the union    (b) Allow all shoots to grow regardless of competition    (c) Cover the union with contaminated soil    (d) Cut off the scion and retain the unwanted shoots
31. Which record is most useful for evaluating a cropping pattern's performance? (a) Sale prices without costs and crop-specific yield    (b) Rainfall totals without plot-level crop records    (c) Yield, input use, pest incidence and soil condition by plot and season    (d) Pest incidence without harvest measurements
32. In this case, a stem cutting has been planted upside down because its orientation was not marked. What preventive step is useful? (a) Identify basal and upper ends when preparing the cutting    (b) Remove all buds from every cutting without examining species    (c) Store all pieces in unmarked bundles    (d) Cut every piece into the same round shape
33. What is the key difference between layering and ordinary detached stem cuttings? (a) Layering develops roots while the branch is still attached to the parent plant    (b) Both methods require removing all leaves and roots    (c) Layering always uses seed germination    (d) Cuttings remain attached until the first fruit harvest
34. A farm plants only one crop on a field each season without an organised rotation. Which system is best described? (a) Relay cropping    (b) Monocropping    (c) Mixed cropping    (d) Intercropping
35. A field has 500 planting stations; 425 have surviving plants. What is the stand-establishment percentage? (a) 425%    (b) 75%    (c) 17%    (d) 85%
36. Suppose that a producer's fresh vegetables spoil on the journey to market. Which opportunity may improve the value chain? (a) Removing every quality check    (b) Increasing delay while leaving crops in direct heat    (c) Selling damaged produce as undamaged    (d) Better handling, suitable storage or more reliable delivery
37. Consider the following situation: A worker reports that farm chemicals were stored near children's drinking water. What ethical response should management take? (a) Blame the nearest employee without investigation    (b) Conceal the report to protect sales    (c) Act to remove the hazard, document the issue and correct unsafe practice    (d) Leave the chemicals until an accident occurs
38. To reproduce the desirable traits of a fruit plant reliably, the suitable approach is ________. (a) Vegetative propagation using suitable parent material    (b) Mixing seed from unrelated plants to preserve exact identity    (c) Allowing random cross-pollination only    (d) Collecting unidentified grain from the market
39. Consider the following situation: A two-year farm plan alternates a cereal with a legume and records planting dates. Why is this a cropping pattern rather than just a crop list? (a) It specifies sequence and arrangement over time    (b) It records only sale prices    (c) It identifies the colour of every seed bag    (d) It prevents any future change in planting area
40. A farmer sows beans between rows of growing maize before the maize is harvested. Which cropping system is described? (a) A fallow period with no crops    (b) A storage system for grains    (c) Pure sole cropping only    (d) Intercropping or relay intercropping depending on the timing and arrangement

SECTION B: THEORY (30 Marks)
Instruction: Answer Question 1 and any other TWO questions. Each question carries 10 marks. Show workings where applicable.
Question 1 (10 marks). A farm propagates fruit trees by grafting and stem cuttings. (a) Compare FIVE features or steps of these propagation methods. (5 marks) (b) Explain FIVE factors affecting successful graft union or cutting establishment. (5 marks)

Question 2 (10 marks). A grower plans to sow 4 seeds in each of 120 stations. (a) Calculate total seeds and explain FOUR factors affecting field establishment. (5 marks) (b) Compare FIVE cropping systems or patterns suitable for different farm aims. (5 marks)

Question 3 (10 marks). A farm alternates maize and legumes and is considering intercropping. Refer to Figure 1 where relevant. (a) Explain FIVE advantages or limitations of different crop arrangements. (5 marks) (b) Describe FIVE indicators a farmer should record to decide if the cropping pattern works. (5 marks)

Question 4 (10 marks). A seedling business has initial capital of ₦150,000 and expects net annual earnings of ₦50,000. (a) Calculate simple payback period and explain FOUR risks that might change the estimate. (5 marks) (b) Explain FIVE desirable ethical and commercial practices for the proposed business. (5 marks)

Objective Marking Scheme
Question 1 – ✅ (d) 3 years
Question 2 – ✅ (d) 480
Question 3 – ✅ (b) Clean tools, drainage and moisture management
Question 4 – ✅ (d) support honest decisions, accountability and evidence of transactions
Question 5 – ✅ (b) Strip cropping
Question 6 – ✅ (d) Sell well-labelled seedlings with verified variety and quality information
Question 7 – ✅ (c) Suitable moisture, clean medium and limited excessive water loss
Question 8 – ✅ (c) loss of customer trust and potential harm to farmers
Question 9 – ✅ (b) Choose an appropriate sowing window based on soil moisture and crop requirements
Question 10 – ✅ (c) Compare demand reliability, costs and risk instead of choosing expected earnings alone
Question 11 – ✅ (a) Raising and marketing grafted fruit seedlings
Question 12 – ✅ (c) sequential multiple cropping
Question 13 – ✅ (b) Dependence on an illegal or deceptive sales claim
Question 14 – ✅ (d) Intercropping uses a more deliberate spatial arrangement, whereas mixed cropping may lack distinct row organisation
Question 15 – ✅ (c) Honesty and fair disclosure
Question 16 – ✅ (a) Crop rotation
Question 17 – ✅ (d) Poor stock–scion compatibility or cambial alignment
Question 18 – ✅ (a) A disease-free vigorous shoot appropriate to the plant and method
Question 19 – ✅ (b) ₦60,000
Question 20 – ✅ (b) Transport and post-production loss can reduce actual profitability
Question 21 – ✅ (c) Adapt crop sequence and spatial arrangement to the conditions of each plot
Question 22 – ✅ (b) Competition for sunlight, spacing and timing between component crops
Question 23 – ✅ (b) Seedlings may lack the energy to emerge successfully
Question 24 – ✅ (c) It supports formation of a functional union and transport between partners
Question 25 – ✅ (a) Introduce a suitable rotation and monitor disease outcomes
Question 26 – ✅ (d) Better pest and nutrient management when appropriate crops are sequenced
Question 27 – ✅ (c) Leaving prepared cuttings exposed to intense sun until they wilt
Question 28 – ✅ (b) Confirm botanical compatibility and appropriate grafting conditions
Question 29 – ✅ (a) Ragged tissue damage and possible transmission of disease
Question 30 – ✅ (a) Remove unwanted rootstock shoots while protecting the union
Question 31 – ✅ (c) Yield, input use, pest incidence and soil condition by plot and season
Question 32 – ✅ (a) Identify basal and upper ends when preparing the cutting
Question 33 – ✅ (a) Layering develops roots while the branch is still attached to the parent plant
Question 34 – ✅ (b) Monocropping
Question 35 – ✅ (d) 85%
Question 36 – ✅ (d) Better handling, suitable storage or more reliable delivery
Question 37 – ✅ (c) Act to remove the hazard, document the issue and correct unsafe practice
Question 38 – ✅ (a) Vegetative propagation using suitable parent material
Question 39 – ✅ (a) It specifies sequence and arrangement over time
Question 40 – ✅ (d) Intercropping or relay intercropping depending on the timing and arrangement

Theory Marking Scheme
Question 1 (10 marks)
(a) rooted cutting vs stock/scion, rootstock, cambial contact, detach vs join, clone characteristics, procedure any five 1.
(b) compatibility, health, alignment, moisture, tool cleanliness, aftercare, temperature five 1

Question 2 (10 marks)
(a) 480 seeds 1; depth, viable seed, moisture, spacing, soil, weather any four 1.
(b) mono, crop rotation, mixed, inter, relay, strip, sequential, any five descriptions/appropriate contrasts 1

Question 3 (10 marks)
(a) nutrient use, weed cover, light competition, pests, harvesting ease, income diversity, timing five 1.
(b) yield, cost, rainfall, soil condition, pest incidence, labour and returns any five 1

Question 4 (10 marks)
(a) 3 years 1; demand, disease, transport, inflation, input costs, losses any four 1.
(b) honest labels, health/quality, delivery, true records, complaint remedy, safe input use, fair pricing any five 1