Model Paper

End Semester (Ist Sem) Examination, December, 2021

Program: M. Sc. (Ag.) Agronomy

Semester: I
Course: Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management
Course Code: 13A.AGRON. 502
Section: I
UNIT-I
1. What is the best method to optimize soil fertility? Give suitable examples. (5M)
2. Which is the important soil fertility or soil productivity with examples? (5M)
3. Why does a fertile soil always not be a productive soil? (5M)
4. Differentiate between Organic matter and organic carbon. (5M)
5. Discuss the methods to increase sustainable soil fertility. (5M)
UNIT-II
1. Do you think that application of bio fertilizer can increase soil fertility? (5M)
2. Can we apply nano fertilizer as soil application? if yes, how nano-fertilizer maintain
the soil fertility status? (5M)
3. Explain the composition and properties of major secondary and micronutrients. (5M)
4. List the factors affecting nutrient availability to plants. (5M)

UNIT-III
1. How does botanicals aid in improving the soil fertility and plant nutrition? (5M)
2. Explain organic manures and its properties. (5M)
3. Differentiate between recycling of organic waste and residue management. (5M)
4. Why vermicompost contains more NPK than FYM? (5M)
UNIT-IV
1. Explain what do you understand by fertilizer use efficiency. (5M)
2. Describe the different method practiced to increase fertilizer use efficiency. (5M)
3. Differentiate between fertilizer mixtures and grades. (5M)
4. Explain the preparation method used for preparing FYM in India. (5M)
UNIT-V
1. Define chemical fertilizers and their role in agriculture. (5M)
2. Differentiate between residual effects and fertilizer use efficiency. (5M)
3. Differentiate between soil fertilization vs foliar fertilization. (5M)
4. Differentiate between organic manures and inorganic manures with examples. (5M)
5. Enlist the different uses of vermicompost in crops. (5M)
 Section: II

UNIT-I
1. What are the efficient methods available to test the soil fertility? (10M)
2. Differentiate between soil health and soil fertility with suitable examples. (10M)
3. Elaborate the role of microorganisms in maintaining soil fertility. (15M)
4. Explain the methods to improve the properties of the soil. (15M)
UNIT-II
1. What is the major advantage and disadvantages of nano fertilizer application? (10M)
2. Classify the different forms of nutrients in soils. (10M)
3. Explain the deficiency symptoms of essentials plant nutrients. (15M)
4. Discuss are nutrient cycles in organic agriculture sustainable. (15M)
UNIT-III
1. Whether organically grown crops really have good quality parameters? (10M)
2. Explain the method of preparation of bulky organic manures. (10M)
3. During vermicomposting why is the pH of the substrate decreasing towards neutral
pH? (15M)
4. Can we use the bio-control agent Trichoderma spp. as biofertilizer agent to stimulate
the soil fertility? (15M)
UNIT-IV
1. What kind of chemical fertilizers are more detrimental for destroying microorganisms
in soil? (10M)
2. Describe integrated nutrient management method. (10M)
3. Which is the most reliable method for determining organic carbon content of the soil?
(15M)
UNIT-V
1. Discuss the effective of foliar fertilization at meeting the nutrient requirement of a
crop. (10 M)
2. Describe why time and method of manures and fertilizer application is important in
obtaining good productivity. (15M)
3. Elaborate crop response to different nutrients with suitable example. (15M)

Prepared By: Dr. Neeta Shweta Kerketta Reviewed By: Dr. Hemlata Kumari

Disclaimer: This is a model paper. The questions in end term examination may differ
from the Model paper. The Model paper is meant for practice only.