d) Calcium
(Answer: c)
9. The "Law of Minimum" states that:
a) Crop growth is determined by the most
abundant nutrient
Republic of the Philippines b) Crop growth is limited by the most deficient
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY nutrient
Palanan Extension Unit c) All nutrients are equally needed in large
quantities
Soil Fertility Conservation and Management d) Nutrients are not necessary for plant growth
Preliminary Examination (Answer: b)
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURE 10. What type of soil conservation practice reduces
erosion by planting vegetation?
Name: __________________________________ a) Tillage farming
Year:____________________________________ b) Slash and burn
Date:___________________________________ c) Cover cropping
d) Overgrazing
Score:___________________________________ (Answer: c)
GOLDEN RULE 11. Which of the following is NOT a major
“THOU SHALL NOT CHEAT” component of soil fertility?
“ERASURES MEANS WRONG” a) Physical
“TAMPERING MEANS WRONG” b) Chemical
“WRONG SPELLING WRONG” c) Mechanical
d) Biological
MULTIPLE CHOICE (Answer: c)
Write your answer after the item number. 12. What element is a secondary
1. What is the primary definition of soil fertility? macronutrient?
a) The amount of organic matter in the soil a) Magnesium
b) The soil’s ability to support microbial life b) Nitrogen
c) The soil’s capacity to supply nutrients in the c) Zinc
right amount and proportion d) Boron
d) The ability of soil to retain moisture (Answer: a)
(Answer: c) 13. What is the optimal soil pH range for most
2. Who is regarded as the "Father of Agricultural agricultural crops?
Chemistry"? a) 4.0 - 5.0
a) John B. Lawes b) 5.5 - 6.5
b) Justus Von Liebig c) 6.0 - 7.0
c) Jean Baptiste Boussingault d) 7.5 - 8.5
d) Nicholas de Saussure (Answer: c)
(Answer: b) 14. Which scientist introduced the use of
3. What was one of the soil fertility practices superphosphate as a soil amendment?
during the Golden Age of Greeks (800-200 a) Justus Von Liebig
B.C.)? b) John B. Lawes
a) Use of synthetic fertilizers c) Francis Home
b) Application of green manure crops d) Xenophon
c) Hydroponic farming (Answer: b)
d) Soil sterilization 15. What process allows nutrients to move toward
(Answer: b) plant roots due to water movement?
4. What nutrient is classified as a primary a) Diffusion
macronutrient? b) Root interception
a) Calcium c) Mass flow
b) Iron d) Capillary action
c) Phosphorus (Answer: c)
d) Manganese 16. Which factor is a primary cause of soil
(Answer: c) degradation?
5. What farming practice was used in a) Crop diversification
Mesopotamia to maintain soil fertility? b) Excessive fertilizer application
a) Crop rotation c) Proper irrigation techniques
b) Canal irrigation d) Increased soil biodiversity
c) Greenhouse farming (Answer: b)
d) No-till farming 17. What is the function of green manure crops in
(Answer: b) soil fertility?
6. What is the major cause of soil fertility a) They remove excess nitrogen from the soil
depletion? b) They suppress beneficial soil microbes
a) Proper irrigation c) They add organic matter and nutrients to the
b) Organic farming soil
c) Soil erosion d) They increase soil compaction
d) Increased biodiversity (Answer: c)
(Answer: c) 18. Which of the following is a micronutrient
7. What scientist first started field plot essential for plant growth?
experiments to study soil fertility? a) Phosphorus
a) Francis Home b) Potassium
b) Jethro Tull c) Calcium
c) Jean Baptiste Boussingault d) Iron
d) Columella (Answer: d)
(Answer: c) 19. What historical civilization first practiced large-
8. Which element is an essential micronutrient for scale irrigation to maintain soil fertility?
plant growth? a) Ancient China
a) Nitrogen b) Mesopotamia
b) Potassium c) Roman Empire
c) Boron d) Mayan Civilization
(Answer: b)
20. Which scientist emphasized the importance of TRUE OR FALSE
turnips for soil improvement? Read each statement carefully. Write TRUE if the
a) Columella statement is correct and FALSE if it is incorrect.
b) Jethro Tull
c) Jean Baptiste Boussingault 31. Soil fertility refers to the ability of soil to supply
d) John B. Lawes essential nutrients in sufficient quantities for
(Answer: a) plant growth. (True)
21. What is the main cause of soil acidity in 32. The "Law of Minimum" states that plant growth
agricultural fields? is determined by the most abundant nutrient
a) Overuse of irrigation water available in the soil. (False)
b) Application of lime 33. Soil productivity and soil fertility are the same
c) Continuous use of nitrogen fertilizers concepts. (False)
d) Presence of organic matter 34. Macronutrients are required by plants in larger
(Answer: c) quantities than micronutrients. (True)
22. Which of the following is NOT a primary 35. Excessive fertilizer application can lead to soil
macronutrient? and water pollution. (True)
a) Nitrogen 36. Soil erosion has no impact on soil fertility.
b) Potassium (False)
c) Phosphorus 37. Mesopotamian farmers maintained soil fertility
d) Magnesium through irrigation systems. (True)
(Answer: d) 38. Justus Von Liebig developed the "Law of
23. What is the term for the process where plant Minimum" and is considered the "Father of
roots physically displace soil particles to Agricultural Chemistry." (True)
access nutrients? 39. Cover cropping is a soil conservation technique
a) Mass flow that helps prevent erosion and improves soil
b) Root interception fertility. (True)
c) Diffusion 40. Potassium is considered a secondary
d) Leaching macronutrient in plant nutrition. (False)
(Answer: b) 41. Root interception is a mechanism by which
24. The "Law of Minimum" states that: plants absorb nutrients from the soil. (True)
a) Plants grow best in fertile soils 42. pH has no effect on the availability of nutrients
b) Crop yield is determined by the most in the soil. (False)
deficient nutrient 43. Soil acidity can be corrected by applying lime.
c) All nutrients are equally needed in large (True)
amounts 44. Nitrogen deficiency in plants causes yellowing
d) Excessive nutrients will increase plant of leaves (chlorosis) and reduced growth.
productivity (True)
(Answer: b) 45. Overgrazing by livestock improves soil
25. Which soil conservation technique helps reduce structure and prevents erosion. (False)
water runoff and soil erosion? 46. In mass flow, nutrients are transported to
a) Clear-cutting plant roots through water movement in the
b) Cover cropping soil. (True)
c) Excessive tilling 47. The use of manure and compost helps improve
d) Overgrazing soil fertility by adding organic matter. (True)
(Answer: b) 48. Plants absorb most of their nutrients through
26. What is the main function of phosphorus in their leaves rather than their roots. (False)
plant growth? 49. Iron is classified as a macronutrient essential
a) Root development and energy transfer for plant growth. (False)
b) Leaf expansion and chlorophyll production 50. Phosphorus is important for root development
c) Water uptake and retention and energy transfer in plants. (True)
d) Structural support in cell walls
(Answer: a)
27. What historical farming method involved
burning vegetation to clear land for cultivation?
a) Crop rotation
b) Slash and burn
c) Conservation tillage
d) Intercropping
(Answer: b)
28. Which scientist conducted early research on
mineral nutrition in plants?
a) John B. Lawes
b) Justus Von Liebig
c) Jean Baptiste Boussingault
d) Nicholas de Saussure
(Answer: d)
29. What is the role of soil pH in plant growth?
a) It controls microbial activity and nutrient
availability
b) It increases soil erosion
c) It directly determines plant height
d) It prevents root growth
(Answer: a)
30. What term refers to the movement of
nutrients from areas of high
concentration to low concentration in soil?
a) Leaching
b) Mass flow
c) Root interception
d) Diffusion
(Answer: d)
