Agriculture UPSC PYQ 2021

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and its progress

What do you mean by 'hunger' and 'hidden hunger' ? Comment on various strategies in combating hunger.

Define soil erosion and its different forms. Explain agronomic and mechanical measures to reduce the adverse effects of soil erosion in crop production.

Describe self-pollination, cross-pollination and often cross-pollination. Discuss different mechanisms for facilitating self-pollination and cross-pollination.

(a) What is clone? What do you understand by clonal selection? Describe the various steps involved in clonal selection. (b) What do you understand by centre of origin? Discuss the law of homologous series of variation. 15 (c) Describe self-pollination, cross-pollination and often cross-pollination. Discuss different mechanisms for facilitating self-pollination and cross-pollination. 20

Describe Q. Nos. 5(a), 5(c), 5(d), 5(e) and answer Q. No. 5(b) in about 150 words each: 10x5=50 (a) Technologies and policies for sustained crop production in rainfed agriculture (b) Define Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Discuss various initiatives to promote ICTs in agriculture. (c) The Minimum Support Price (MSP) and its determination (d) Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and its progress (e) Parameters for determination of quality of irrigation water

Technologies and policies for sustained crop production in rainfed agriculture

(a) What are the factors responsible for declining soil fertility? Discuss various measures adopted for improving soil productivity. 20 (b) Define Integrated Farming System (IFS). How can IFS improve the income of different landholding groups? (c) Describe the major biological control methods of weeds.

Define ecology. Mention its basic concepts and relevance in crop production.

(a) What is greenhouse effect? Write in detail about various greenhouse gases and their impact on crop production. 20 (b) What is the role of new agricultural technologies and market policies in crop diversification? Discuss in detail. 20 (c) Discuss the activity and selectivity of herbicides.

The Minimum Support Price (MSP) and its determination

Define 'Pests' and 'Pesticides' in relation to pest management. Give a brief account of types and need for pesticide formulations.

Describe the physiological and molecular basis of heterosis.

Explain the importance of somatic hybridization in agriculture.

Discuss various approaches of extension. Describe the recent emerging concepts in transfer of technology.

Critically examine the major extension programmes of agricultural sector in India. Suggest different measures to improve technology dissemination and adoption at farmer's field.

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of mass selection, simple recurrent selection and clonal selection.

What is irrigation potential of India and how can it be increased through rain-water harvesting?

What is the role and importance of "Seed treatment campaign" in India in the context of quality crop establishment ?

(a) What do you mean by 'Economic Injury Level' (EIL) and 'Economic Threshold Level' (ETL)? Describe their roles in classifying the pests in relevance to Integrated Pest Management (IPM). 15 (b) Describe the importance of fruit cultivation in India. Discuss the role of horticulture with respect to poverty alleviation and nutritional security. 15 (c) What is protected cultivation? What are its problems and prospects in comparison to open cultivation? 20

What do you understand by agroforestry? Discuss various types of agroforestry systems in India with the help of examples.

Biofertilizers and the major constraints in popularization of biofertilizers

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: 10x5=50 (a) Define seed viability. Describe in brief the metabolic aspects of seed germination. 10 (b) Define 'Pests' and 'Pesticides' in relation to pest management. Give a brief account of types and need for pesticide formulations. 10 (c) Narrate the role of post harvest technology in minimising losses in fruits and vegetables. 10 (d) What is 'Plant Quarantine'? Describe the plant quarantine measures with suitable examples in Indian context. 10 (e) Discuss the importance of green-house in agriculture. 10

What are the different "National Dietary Guidelines" of India ? What is your opinion on balanced diet of Indians ?

(a) What do you understand by agroforestry? Discuss various types of agroforestry systems in India with the help of examples. 20 (b) What do you mean by Site-Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM)? Write the steps and recommendations for implementing SSNM in major cereals. (c) Discuss various international conventions and recent global initiatives pertaining to climate change. 10

What are enzymes ? Describe "Key-lock theory" with respect to mode of enzyme action.

(a) What is the food production and consumption pattern of India in the last fifty years? 15 (b) What do you mean by 'hunger' and 'hidden hunger'? Comment on various strategies in combating hunger. 15 (c) What are the different 'National Dietary Guidelines' of India? What is your opinion on balanced diet of Indians? 20

What is the food production and consumption pattern of India in the last fifty years ?

What are the factors responsible for declining soil fertility? Discuss various measures adopted for improving soil productivity.

Social forestry and various schemes related to social forestry

Describe the mechanisms involved in absorption of water in plants. Explain the factors affecting the water absorption rate in plants.

Define Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Discuss various initiatives to promote ICTs in agriculture.

What do you mean by gene pool concept and genetic erosion ? Classify the gene pool of a crop.

Describe the following in about 150 words each: 10x5=50 (a) The major ways for sustainable management of natural resources (b) Improved agro-practices for the production of quality protein maize (c) Social forestry and various schemes related to social forestry (d) The major weeds of rice and their management practices under both upland and lowland conditions (e) Biofertilizers and the major constraints in popularization of biofertilizers

What do you understand by vernalization ? Describe its practical application in crops.

What is the role of new agricultural technologies and market policies in crop diversification? Discuss in detail.

(a) Define ecology. Mention its basic concepts and relevance in crop production. (b) How to improve drainage of waterlogged areas? Discuss the advantages and limitations of drip and sprinkler irrigation methods. (c) Discuss various approaches of extension. Describe the recent emerging concepts in transfer of technology. 10

Classify types of male sterility and self-incompatibility system in plants. Describe the limitations of cytoplasmic genetic male sterility system in hybrid seed production.

Discuss the value addition of forest products.

What do you mean by "Economic Injury Level" (EIL) and "Economic Threshold Level" (ETL) ? Describe their roles in classifying the pests in relevance to Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

The major weeds of rice and their management practices under both upland and lowland conditions

What do you mean by Site-Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM)? Write the steps and recommendations for implementing SSNM in major cereals.

Discuss the activity and selectivity of herbicides.

What is greenhouse effect? Write in detail about various greenhouse gases and their impact on crop production.

Discuss the success and failure of agricultural price policy since its inception. Discuss the recent initiatives/changes in agricultural price policy.

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: 10x5=50 (a) What do you mean by gene pool concept and genetic erosion? Classify the gene pool of a crop. 10 (b) Describe the advantages and disadvantages of mass selection, simple recurrent selection and clonal selection. 10 (c) Explain the importance of somatic hybridization in agriculture. 10 (d) 'Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) issue is a sensitive topic in agriculture.' Concisely describe this with your conclusions. 10 (e) Write short notes on the following: (i) Asexual Reproduction (ii) Progeny Test (iii) Seed Bank (iv) Genetically Modified Crop

Discuss various international conventions and recent global initiatives pertaining to climate change.

What is protected cultivation ? What are its problems and prospects in comparison to open cultivation ?

The major ways for sustainable management of natural resources

Write short notes on the following : (i) Asexual Reproduction (ii) Progeny Test (iii) Seed Bank (iv) Genetically Modified Crop

What is DNA fingerprinting ? Discuss its applied aspects in modern agriculture.

Parameters for determination of quality of irrigation water

Define Integrated Farming System (IFS). How can IFS improve the income of different landholding groups?

(a) Describe 'Key-lock theory' with respect to mode of enzyme action. 15 (b) What is plant physiological stress? Describe morphological and physiochemical changes taking place in plants under drought condition. 15 (c) What do you understand by vernalization? Describe its practical application in crops. 20

What do you understand by centre of origin ? Discuss the law of homologous series of variation.

(a) Define cell. How is a plant cell different from an animal cell? Describe a typical cell structurally and functionally, with a suitable diagram. (b) Describe the physiological and molecular basis of heterosis. (c) Classify types of male sterility and self-incompatibility system in plants. Describe the limitations of cytoplasmic genetic male sterility system in hybrid seed production.

What is "Plant Quarantine" ? Describe the plant quarantine measures with suitable examples in Indian context.

'Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)' issue is a sensitive topic in agriculture. Concisely describe this with your conclusions.

How to improve drainage of waterlogged areas? Discuss the advantages and limitations of drip and sprinkler irrigation methods.

Discuss the importance of green-house in agriculture.

Describe the major biological control methods of weeds.

Define cell. How is a plant cell different from an animal cell ? Describe a typical cell structurally and functionally, with a suitable diagram.

Discuss cooperative marketing with successful case studies.

(a) Define soil erosion and its different forms. Explain agronomic and mechanical measures to reduce the adverse effects of soil erosion in crop production. 20 (b) What is irrigation potential of India and how can it be increased through rain water harvesting? (c) Discuss cooperative marketing with successful case studies. 20

What is clone ? What do you understand by clonal selection ? Describe the various steps involved in clonal selection.

Improved agro-practices for the production of quality protein maize

(a) What is the role and importance of 'Seed treatment campaign' in India in the context of quality crop establishment? 15 (b) What is DNA fingerprinting? Discuss its applied aspects in modern agriculture. (c) Describe the mechanisms involved in absorption of water in plants. Explain the factors affecting the water absorption rate in plants. 20

Narrate the role of post harvest technology in minimising losses in fruits and vegetables.

(a) Critically examine the major extension programmes of agricultural sector in India. Suggest different measures to improve technology dissemination and adoption at farmer's field. 20 (b) Discuss the success and failure of agricultural price policy since its inception. Discuss the recent initiatives/changes in agricultural price policy. (c) Discuss the value addition of forest products.

What is plant physiological stress ? Describe morphological and physiochemical changes taking place in plants under drought condition.

Define seed viability. Describe in brief the metabolic aspects of seed germination.

Describe the importance of fruit cultivation in India. Discuss the role of horticulture with respect to poverty alleviation and nutritional security.