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443/1
AGRICULTURE
PAPER 1
JULY 2025
Time: 2 HOURS
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
Instructions to Candidates
⦁ Answer all questions in section A and B in the spaces provided in each
question
⦁ Answer any two questions in section C in the answer sheet attached
For examiner’s use only
SECTION QUESTION MAXIMUM CANDIDATES
SCORE SCORE
A 1-15 30
B 16-19 20
C 20
20
TOTAL SCORE 90
SECTION A(30MKS)
Answer all questions in this section
1. What is meant by the following terms (3mks)
a)soil erosion
➔ Process by which soil is detached, removed and carried away from one place to onother where it may not be useful
B)undersowing
➔ Sowing small seeded pasture under established arable crop
c)oversowing
➔ Sowing one pasture crop in an established or existing pasture eg planting desmodium over rhodes grass.
2. Distinguish between compound and straight fertilizers (1mk)
➔ straight-Contains only one of the primarymacro nutrients
➔ Compund-contains two or three primary macro-nutrients
3.State four effects soil depth on crop production (2mks)
➔ More nutrients nd organic mater for growth
➔ Good medium for root growth and support
➔ Facilitates aeration
➔ Facilitates good drainage
➔ Discouraged soil erosion adn surface runoff
4.Give two ways of improving sandy soils (1mks)
➔ Application of organic matter,manure
➔ Minimum tillage
➔ Crop rotation
➔ Tilling at the right moisture content
➔ Mixed cropping
➔ Intercropping
➔ Cover cropping
➔ mulching
5.State three uses of farm records in agricultural production (3 marks
➔ Compare performance of different enterprises
➔ Show farm history
➔ Guide in planning and budgeting
➔ Help detect loses or theft in farm
➔ Help in assessment of income tax
➔ Help determine value of farm or determine assets
➔ Easy to share profit in partnerships
➔ Settling disputes among heirs
➔ To show if farm is making profits or loses
➔ Helps support insurance claims on death,theft
➔ Provide labor info like terminal benefits
6. List five biotic factors that affect livestock negatively (2 ½)
➔ Predators
➔ Parasites
➔ Pests
➔ Pathogens
➔ vectors
7.Give four benefits of timely planting in crops (2mks)
➔ Crop make maximum use of rainfall and suitable soil temperature
➔ Crops escape sereous pest and disease attack
➔ Crps benefit from nitrogen flush which is available in beginning of rain
➔ Crops establish earlier than weeds,hence smothering them
➔ Ensures produce is marketed when prices are high in horticultural crops
8.State five factors influencing crop rotation (2 ½ mks)
➔ Crop root depth-deep rooted to shallow rooted
➔ Weed control-crps associated with weeds alternated with those not
➔ Pest and disease control-crops of same families should not follow
➔ Soil structure
➔ Soil fertility
➔ Crop nutrient requirements
9.State two advantages of drip irrigation (1mks)
➔ Economical
➔ Water under low pressure can be used
➔ Minimizes instances of leaf fungal diseases
➔ Reduces growth of weeds between rows
➔ Fertilizers may be applied with irrigation water
➔ Suitable for sloping land
➔ Minimizes water loss through evaporation
➔ Accumulation of salts around the plant is minimized
*10.Outline four aspects of rainfall affecting agricultural production (2mks)
➔ Intensity
➔ Reliability
➔ distribution
➔ amount
11.State four reasons for intercropping (2mks)
➔ Maximize production
➔ Control weeds
➔ Conserve soil/water
➔ Controls pest/diseases
➔ Maximixe utilization of nutrients
➔ diversification/minimize risk
➔ Maximize labour utilization/save labor cost
➔ Imprpoves soil fertility if legumes are included
➔ Maximize utilization of land
12.Give three disadvantages of communal land tenure system (2 ½ mks)
➔ No motivation to conserve land hence land degradation
➔ Land disputes are common
➔ No motivation to make long term investments
➔ Difficult to carry out planning
➔ Difficult to control pests
➔ Individual cannot use land as security to obtain loan
➔ Poor animal and crop husbandry practices hence low yields
➔ Poor stock breeding programme
➔ Soil denudation
13. State four factors considerd when selecting a nursery site (2mks)
➔ Nearness to water source
➔ Type of soil-weel drained, deep, fertile
➔ Topography-gently sloping
➔ Previous cropping-not of same family
➔ Secure
➔ Well sheltered place
14. Give one reason for cutting back in pyrethrum (1mks)
➔ Increase yield
➔ Reduce incidences of bud disease
15.Give five ways in which land consolidation helps to improve farm management(2 ½ mks)
➔ Proper land supervision
➔ Economic use of time and saves transportation cost
➔ Agricultural advice by extension officer-easy
➔ Sound farm planning and adoptio of rotational programmes
➔ Soil conservation and land improvement
➔ Weed pest and disease control is enhanced
➔ Farmer has legal ownership and can obtain loans
➔ Economical operation of activities on the land since it gives farmer large unit of land
➔ Contruction of permanent structures
SECTION B (20 MKS)
Answer all questions in this section
16.The diagram below represents a field management practice in tomatoes
i)identify the practice (1mk)
➔ staking
ii) State three reasons for carrying out the practice (3 mks)
➔ Production of clean fruits
➔ Prevents infestation by soil borne pest
➔ Facilitates spraying and harvesting
➔ Controls disease outbreak like blight
iii) Give another practice that could be carried out to give the same results (1 mks)
➔ trellishing
17.The diagram below shows the result of an experiment carried out by a form one student.The student student mixed water with
sodium carbonate the added a soil sample after which thorough
shaking was done and the contents were left to settle on a bench.
i)What was the aim of the experiment? (1 mark)
➔ To show that soil is made up of different sized particles
ii)Identify the layers represented by M,N and P. (3mks)
➔ M-floating organic matter/humus
➔ N-water with clay particles and dissolved mineral salts
➔ P-sand
iii)What was the role of sodium carbonate in this experiment? (1mark)
➔ Aid in dispersion of particles
18..Study the diagram illustrated below and answer the questions that follow.
a)Identify the pest. (1 mark)
➔ American ballworm
b)Explain how the pest causes damage to the crop. (1mark)
➔ They bore holes into the tomato fruits and feeds with its head inside causing them to rot
c)Outline three control measures of the pest (3mks)
➔ Spraying tomatoes with insecticides
➔ Early planting
➔ Field hygiene
➔ Planting mexican merigold
➔ Intercropping
➔ Crop rotation
19.a)List two methods of drainage (2marks)
➔ Open ditches
➔ Underground drain pipes
➔ French drains
➔ Camberd beds
➔ Pumping
➔ Planting trees
b)State three importance of drainage as a land reclamation method (3 marks)
To;
➔ Increase soil aeration
➔ Increase soil volume
➔ Raise soil temperature
➔ Increase microbial activities
➔ Reduce soil erosion
➔ Remove toxic substrnces
SECTION C (40 MARKS)
Answer only two questions
20.a) Describe field production of tomatoes under the following subheadings.
(i). Field management practices (7marks)
(ii) Grading of tomato fruits (3 marks)
b)Explain five factors considerd when designing a crop rotation programme. (10 marks)
21.a)Outline the role of phosphorus in plants (5 marks)
b)Describe uses of farm records in the farm (10 marks)
c)Outline five advantages of using seeds for crop propagation. (5 marks)
22.a)Explain the types of soil erosion (8 marks)
b)Describe the importance of any FIVE nursery management practices in crop production(10mks)
c)Distinguish between seedling bed and nursery bed (2 marks)
20.a)
➔ i)gapping to remove excess seedlings
➔ Top dressing with nitrogenous fertilizer
➔ Weeding to remove excess seedlings-reguarly
➔ Staking
➔ Pruning
➔ Pest control
➔ Weed control
➔ Watering
ii)
b) five factors considerd when designing a crop rotation programme
➔ Crop root depth-deep rooted to shallow rooted
➔ Weed control-crops associated with weeds alternated with those not/coer crops to smother weeds
➔ Pest and disease control-crops of same families should not follow
➔ Soil structure-grass ley included to hold soil particles improving structure
➔ Soil fertility-legumes included to fix nitrogen
➔ Crop nutrient requirements-heavy feeders comes early
21.a)Outline the role of phosphorus in plants
➔ Root development-formation and establish ment of roots
➔ Essential for flowering,fruits and seed formation also hastens ripening of fruits
➔ Plays role in metabolic processes like respiration,protein synthesis
➔ Part of nucleoproteins required during cell division
➔ Prevent lodging by strengthening plant stems
➔ stimulate nodule formation in leguminous plants
b)Describe uses of farm records in the farm
to;
➔ Compare performance of different enterprises
➔ Show farm history
➔ Guide in planning and budgeting
➔ Help detect loses or theft in farm
➔ Help in assessment of income tax
➔ Help determine value of farm or determine assets
➔ Easy to share profit in partnerships
➔ Settling disputes among heirs
➔ To show if farm is making profits or loses
➔ Helps support insurance claims on death,theft
➔ Provide labor info like terminal benefits
c)Outline five advantages of using seeds for crop propagation.
➔ Easy to treat against soil borne pest and diseases
➔ Not bulky thus easy storage
➔ Easy to handle thus fas operation
➔ Easy machanization
➔ Possible to apply manures and fertilisers with seed during planting
➔ Fertilisers and manure applications can be easily mechanised
➔ Possible to develop new crop varieties
22.a)Explain the types of soil erosion
➔ splash/raindrop
Splash resulting from water splash directly to soil particles
➔ Sheeet erosion
uniform Removal of soil in thin layers from flt or gently sloping land caused by surface flow of
water
➔ Rill erosion
Removal of soil from small but well defined channels(rills) where there is concentration of water
down the slope,common on slopes
➔ Gully erosion
Advance stage of rill erosion;small channels get progressively deeper and wider till they become
Gullies,characterized by deep long ditches.maybe U or V ahped
b)Describe the importance of any FIVE nursery management practices in crop production
➔ Mulching-conserve soil moisture and removed immidiadtely seedlingf begin to emerge
➔ Weed comtrol-to avoid competition
➔ Shading-prevents loss of moisture and direct sun
➔ Pricking out-to remove excessive seedlings
➔ Watering to supply adequate moisture and avoid drying of seeds
➔ Pest and disease control-
➔ Hardenning off to prepare seedlings to adapt to conditions in field
c)Distinguish between seedling bed and nursery bed
➔ Seedling bed-special type of nursery bet used for raising seedlings pricked out from nursery bed due to
overcrowding before they are ready for transplanting
➔ Nursery bed-special bed prepared for raing seedlings before transplanting
