Neco Model Questions Vol1 2024 Agricultural Science Question 7

Practice essay / theory question 7 from the 2024 Neco Model Questions Vol1 Agricultural Science examination. This question covers Crop pests, Insect identification, Life cycle of maize pests, Economic threshold and pesticide dosage, Integrated pest management .

Neco Model Questions Vol1 2024 Agricultural Science Essay / Theory
Topics: Crop pests Insect identification Life cycle of maize pests Economic threshold and pesticide dosage Integrated pest management
Question 7 NECO_MODEL_QUESTIONS_VOL1 • 2024 • AGRICULTURAL_SCIENCE • essay

A farmer in northern Nigeria cultivates maize on a 5‑hectare field. During the early rainy season he observes a sudden increase of small, greenish‑brown insects feeding on the leaf whorls, causing the leaves to turn yellow and the plants to become stunted. The larvae are white, soft‑bodied and feed inside the whorl. The farmer wishes to control the pest and asks for advice on identification, the most damaging life‑stage, the correct pesticide dosage and an integrated pest‑management (IPM) plan.

Question Parts

( a )
Identify the pest described and justify your identification with two key morphological or behavioural features.
( b )
Outline the complete life cycle of the identified pest and indicate which stage causes the greatest economic damage to maize.
( c )
The recommended spray rate for a 25 % EC (emulsifiable concentrate) insecticide is 0.5 L per hectare. The farmer has a 5 L container of the 25 % EC formulation. Calculate the volume (in litres) of the container that must be used to treat the entire 5‑hectare field.
( d )
Propose an integrated pest‑management (IPM) strategy for this pest, incorporating at least one cultural, one biological and one chemical control measure. Explain briefly how each component reduces reliance on chemical pesticides.

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About This Question

This is Neco Model Questions Vol1 2024 Agricultural Science Question 7. It is one of the essay questions from the 2024 Neco Model Questions Vol1 Agricultural Science examination.

The question covers Crop pests, Insect identification, Life cycle of maize pests, Economic threshold and pesticide dosage, Integrated pest management .

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