neco 2024 agricultural_science | Practical

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Question 1 View Details
A farmer wants to assess the soil moisture status of a maize field. Using a soil core sampler of known volume (500 cm³), a soil sample is taken from the 0–15 cm depth. The wet weight of the sample is recorded as 820 g. After oven‑drying at 105 °C for 24 h, the dry weight is 680 g. The bulk density of the field soil is 1.3 g cm⁻³. The optimum volumetric water content for maize at this growth stage is 30–35 %.
Question Parts
(a)
Calculate the gravimetric water content (percentage) of the soil sample.
(b)
Convert the gravimetric water content obtained in (a) to volumetric water content. Use the relationship \(\theta_v = \theta_g \times \frac{\rho_b}{\rho_w}\) where \(\rho_w = 1.0\) g cm⁻³.
(c)
State whether the moisture status of the field is deficient, adequate or excessive for the maize crop and give a brief justification.
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Question 2 View Details
A soil sample weighing 250 g (air‑dry) is tested for pH using the 1:2.5 soil‑to‑water suspension method. The measured pH of the suspension is 5.2. The buffer capacity of the soil is 0.8 cmolc kg⁻¹ per pH unit. A farmer wishes to raise the soil pH to 6.5 for optimal soybean production. The lime material to be used is calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) with an effective neutralising value (ENV) of 90 %. The bulk density of the field soil is 1.4 g cm⁻³.
Question Parts
(a)
Determine the amount of CaCO₃ (in grams) required to raise the pH of the 250 g sample to the target pH, assuming the same buffer capacity applies.
(b)
If the farmer plans to treat a field of 1 ha with a soil depth of 15 cm, calculate the total quantity of CaCO₃ (in kilograms) needed for the whole field.
(c)
List two practical precautions that should be observed when applying lime to the field.
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Question 3 View Details
A farmer is using a hand hoe to break up a shallow layer of soil. The hoe has a blade that is 15 cm wide and the farmer inserts the blade to a depth of 10 cm. The soil shear strength is 30 kN·m⁻². The farmer pushes the hoe so that the handle makes an angle of 30° with the horizontal and moves the blade forward a distance of 2.0 m.
Question Parts
(a)
Calculate the area of the blade that is in contact with the soil (in m²).
(b)
Determine the shear force that must be overcome by the farmer (in N).
(c)
Find the component of this force acting in the direction of movement (horizontal component) (in N, to the nearest N).
(d)
Calculate the total work done by the farmer in moving the hoe through the 2.0 m distance (in joules, to the nearest joule).
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Question 4 View Details
A small agricultural tractor is to be used for pulling a two‑bottom plough. The tractor’s engine is rated at 20 kW and develops its maximum power at 2000 rpm. The gearbox has a third‑gear ratio of 1.8:1 (engine speed : gearbox output speed). The final‑drive ratio (gearbox output to wheel) is 3.5:1. The wheels have a radius of 0.50 m. When operating in third gear the tractor moves at a ground speed of 4 km h⁻¹. The drivetrain suffers an overall efficiency loss of 15 %. The plough requires a draft (pulling) force of 2.5 kN. The engine’s specific fuel consumption is 250 g kWh⁻¹ and the density of diesel is 0.85 kg L⁻¹. The tractor is to be used for 2 h under these conditions.
Question Parts
(a)
Calculate the torque produced by the engine at 2000 rpm (in N·m, to one decimal place).
(b)
Determine the torque available at the wheel axle after the gearbox and final‑drive (before efficiency loss) (in N·m, to one decimal place).
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