Neco Model Questions Vol1 2024 Agricultural Science Question 8

Practice essay / theory question 8 from the 2024 Neco Model Questions Vol1 Agricultural Science examination. This question covers Plant diseases, Fungal pathogens of cassava, Disease cycle, Disease incidence and yield loss, Disease management .

Neco Model Questions Vol1 2024 Agricultural Science Essay / Theory
Topics: Plant diseases Fungal pathogens of cassava Disease cycle Disease incidence and yield loss Disease management
Question 8 NECO_MODEL_QUESTIONS_VOL1 • 2024 • AGRICULTURAL_SCIENCE • essay

A cassava farmer in southwestern Nigeria observes brown necrotic lesions on the lower stems of several plants and wilting of the leaves. Laboratory analysis confirms the presence of a fungal pathogen. The farmer wants to understand the disease, its impact on yield and how to manage it effectively.

Question Parts

( a )
Identify the disease based on the symptoms and the laboratory finding, and give two distinguishing characteristics that support your identification.
( b )
Describe the disease cycle of the identified pathogen, highlighting the primary source of inoculum and the main mode of spread within a cassava field.
( c )
In a 1‑hectare field containing 2 000 cassava plants, 150 plants show typical disease symptoms. Calculate the disease incidence as a percentage. Assuming each diseased plant would have produced 25 kg of tuber under healthy conditions but now loses 30 % of its potential yield, estimate the total yield loss in kilograms for the whole field.

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About This Question

This is Neco Model Questions Vol1 2024 Agricultural Science Question 8. It is one of the essay questions from the 2024 Neco Model Questions Vol1 Agricultural Science examination.

The question covers Plant diseases, Fungal pathogens of cassava, Disease cycle, Disease incidence and yield loss, Disease management .

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