Why do we consider soil structure an important soil property for crop production? How is soil structure changed by various factors? (20M, CSE 2022)
Why do we consider soil structure an important soil property for crop production? (8M, IFoS 2020)
What are the different groups of microorganisms found in soil? How do microbes help in soil aggregation, and thereby improvement in physical properties? (10M, IFoS-2019)
Describe phosphorus fixation in relation to soil pH. (10M, 200W, IFoS-2017)
Describe Soil health (10M, 150W, CSE 2017)
Write the concept of soil moisture constraints. Write the role and availability of moisture to plants (15M, CSE 2015)
Why soil biological properties may be a better indicator of soil health as compared to physical and chemical properties? (10M, IFoS-2015)
Justify the capacity of soil to produce food grains in relation to physical, chemical and biological properties. (10M, IFoS-2015)
Discuss the role of seed characters responsible for extended survival in the soil. (10M, IFoS-2015)
What are important soil animals? Write their contributions to soil. (10M, 150W, CSE2014)
Differentiate Soil Texture and Soil Structure (10M, CSE 2009)
Biological practices of the soil and their role in crop production and productivity. (200W, 20M, CSE 2008)
Short notes on Soil structure and steps for development (20M, 200W, CSE 2006)
Short critical notes on Particle Density (20M, 200W, CSE 2000)
Define and differentiate between soil texture and soil structure. How do you determine soil texture? Give brief description of structural types with schematic drawings (60M, CSE 2000).
Processes and factors of soil formation
Give account of genesis of soil structure and its significance to crop production. (10M 150W CSE 2023)
Discuss the physical, chemical, and biological weathering of rocks and minerals. (10M, IFoS 2020)
What do you mean by weathering of rocks and minerals? Discuss the role of biological weathering processes. (20M, IFoS-2019)
What is soil genesis? Discuss the role factors of soil formation. (10M, IFoS-2018)
What are the factors of soil formation and discuss the role of active factors? (10M, IFoS-2015)
Name the important minerals found in different rocks. Describe chemical weathering of soil (12M, 150W, CSE 2012)
Differentiate between active and passive factors of soil formation. (15M, CSE 2010)
Short notes on Soil profile (20M, 200W, CSE 2005)
Soils of India
Explain different types of soils in India based ICAR classification and their main characteristics in relation to crop production. (10M, IFoS-2022)
Enlist different groups of soils found in India and discuss any one in detail. (8M, IFoS 2021)
Mineral and organic constituents of soils and their role in maintaining soil productivity
State the differences between green manuring and brown manuring, and write the advantages of brown manuring. (8M, IFoS-2023)
Describe the role of organic matter in maintaining soil productivity. (15M, IFoS 2021)
Maintenance of soil health needs regular recycling of lignocellulolytic materials to the soil. Justify. (8M, 150W, IFoS-2018)
Explain the factors affecting soil organic matter content. Describe the techniques to increase soil organic matter (20M, CSE 2018)
Vermicompost is important in sustainable agriculture. Justify. (8M, 150W, IFoS-2017)
What benefits are derived from organic matter in soil? (10M, 150W, CSE 2015)
How should one dispose wheat straw in field for good health of soil after harvesting the crop? (10M, IFoS-2015)
Nutrient availability to the crops from vermicompost is faster as compared to other organic manures. (10M, IFoS-2015)
Differentiate Mineralization and immobilization (10M, CSE 2011)
Differentiate Organic and inorganic colloids of soil (10M, CSE 2011)
Differentiate Organic Matter and Mineral Matter (10M, CSE 2009)
Sources and utilization of organic manure. (200W, 20M, CSE 2008)
Short critical notes on Organic matter (20M, 200W, CSE 1998)
How does mineralization of nitrogen compounds place in the soil? What are the factors affecting on these soils? (60M, CSE 1994)
Essential plant nutrients and other beneficial elements in soils and plants
1. What is the Arnon and Stout (1939) criteria for plant nutrient essentiality? Give account of forms of each essential plant nutrient element absorbed by plants. (20M, CSE 2024)
What makes a nutrient element become essential for plant growth and development? Which is the latest addition in the existing list of 16 essential plant nutrients? Mention its deficiency symptoms and functions. (10M, 150W, CSE 2019)
Justify the importance of forms of nutrients, their concentrations, and ratios to other nutrients in soil for their uptake and crop growth. (10M, IFoS-2018)
How are plant nutrients classified? What role do they play in crop productivity? (20M, CSE 2017)
What are the essential elements of plant nutrients? State the significance of C:N ratio in crop productivity. (10M, 200W, IFoS-2017)
List out the criteria for essentiality of nutrients? Differentiate between essential, beneficial, and functional elements in plant nutrition. How are these nutrient elements absorbed by the plants? (20M, CSE 2016)
Give the criteria of essentiality of plant nutrients. List the essential mineral elements required in plant nutrition. State the principal functions of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S. (20M, CSE 2015)
What are the essential elements of plant nutrients? State the significance of C:N ratio in crop production. (10M, IFoS-2014)
Chelates and Boton carriers (15M, 200W, CSE 2012)
Name the Essential elements required by plants. What are the sources of these elements? How are they lost from the soil and what are the measures to maintain their status in the soil? (60M, CSE 2009)
What are the essential elements required for the growth of higher plants? Write the role of trace elements. How is the availability of these affected in varying soil conditions? (60M, CSE 2005)
Write down the criteria of essentiality of element. In what ways does soil fertility differ from soil productivity? (CSE 1992)
Describe specific and distinguishable visual symptoms of deficiency and toxicity of nutritional disorders in the rice plants. (CSE 1990)
Principles of soil fertility, soil testing and fertilizer recommendations
Give account of soil fertility evaluation techniques. Enlist the points to be considered along with soil test values for fertiliser dose recommendation. (10M, CSE 2024)
What are the various diagnostic techniques employed in evaluating soil fertility? Enumerate advantages and disadvantages of each technique. (8M, IFoS-2022)
What are the factors responsible for declining soil fertility? Discuss various measures adopted for improving soil productivity. (20M, CSE 2021)
What do you mean by Site-Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM)? Write the steps and recommendations for implementing SSNM in major cereals. (20M, CSE 2021)
Describe the principles of soil fertility. Explain the role of biofertilizers in enhancing the soil fertility. (10M, CSE 2020)
Soil health card (10M, CSE 2019)
Differentiate between soil fertility and soil productivity.
What is meant by the organic matter content of good agricultural soil? Compare it with that offorest soil. Suggest ways to maintain soil organic matter content and improve crop productivity. (20M, CSE 2016)
Though it is recommended that soil fertility is to be evaluated before sowing the crop, do Indian farmers follow it? Discuss different methods and constrains for determining the soil fertility status in remote areas. (10M, IFoS-2014)
Comment on soil test based nutrient recommendations for crops and their adoption by farmers. (15M, CSE 2010)
Short notes on Soil Fertility and Soil Productivity (20M, 200W, CSE 2009)
How does soil productivity differ from soil fertility? What are the factors responsible for degradation of soil productivity? Suggest practical measures to improve it. (60M, CSE 2004).
Distinguish between soil-fertility and son-productivity. Discuss in detail the factors affecting the productivity of the soil (60M, CSE 1999)
Soil fertility evaluation (200W, CSE 1995)
Integrated nutrient management
Discuss the relevance of Integrated Nutrient Management in sustainable agriculture. Describe various types of biofertilizers. (20M, CSE 2022)
What is integrated nutrient management (INM)? Explain the limitations in practice of INM at farmer’s level in India. (10M, 150W, CSE 2020)
Explain the need of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) in present day agriculture. (10M, 200W, IFoS-2017)
Describe Integrated Pest Management (IPM) vs Integrated nutrient Management (INM) (10M, 150W, CSE 2016)
Differentiate and elaborate integrated nutrient management and integrated pest management. (10M, CSE 2015)
What is Integrated Nutrition Management (INM)? Explain its advantages and disadvantages in practicing INM at farmer’s level. (8M, 150W, IFoS-2014)
Briefly discuss different aspects of integrated nutrient management and its limitations (15M, 200W, CSE 2012)
Short notes on Integrated nutrient management or sustainable agriculture (15M, 150W, CSE 2011)
Define Integrated Nutrient Management (INM). Suggest suitable INM practices in castor and sugarcane crop. (60M, CSE 2008)
Short notes on Integrated Nutrient Management (20M, 200W, CSE 2002)
What do you mean by IPNM? Discuss it in the context of rice-wheat cropping system (60M, CSE 2001)
Define and discuss the role of integrated nutrient management in Indian agriculture (60M, CSE 1998)
What do you understand by integrated nutrient management? How would the system approach help in crop production under different cropping systems? (CSE 1993)
Fertilizer is an expensive input but is not efficiently used. Detail the strategy for optimal use of fertilizers for maximisation by small farmer. (CSE 1991)
Bio fertilizers
Describe the role of biofertilizers in success of integrated nutrient management and nutrient availability in India. 10M, IFoS-2023)
Biofertilizers and their constraints in popularization of biofertilizers. (10M, 150W, CSE 2021)
Bio-fortification (10M, CSE 2019)
Discuss the kinds of bio-fertilizers and their application methods. Give the reasons for their limited acceptance among the Indian farmers (20M, CSE 2018)
Biological nitrogen fixation bacteria and their modes of action. (10M, 200W, IFoS-2016)
Azolla, its production technology, and role in rice culture. (10M, 200W, IFoS-2016)
Differentiate and elaborate Inorganic fertilizers and Bio-fertilizers (10M, 150W, 2013) Differentiate Chemical fertilizers and bio-fertilizers (10M, CSE2011)
Differentiate between green manuring and bio fertilizer for crop production. (15M, CSE 2010)
Short notes on Azolla as Bio-fertilizer (20M, 200W, CSE 2002)
Short critical notes on Bio-fertilizers (20M, 200W, CSE 1999)
Foliar application of nutrients (200W, CSE 1993)
Bio fertilizer vs. Coated fertilizer (200W, CSE 1992)
Biofertilizers (200W, CSE 1989)
What is fertilizer use efficiency? Explain the methods by which N use efficiency could be increased for the following crops under conditions indicated against each: (CSE 1989)
Rice grown under wetland Condition.
Cotton grown under garden land Condition.
Groundnut grown under dry land conditions.
Losses of nitrogen in soil, nitrogen-use efficiency in submerged rice soils, nitrogen fixation in soils
What are the two steps of nitrification and enlist micro-organisms responsible for each? Write down the importance of nitrification. (10M, CSE 2024)
Give an account of merits and demerits of nanofertilizers with suitable examples. (8M, IFoS-2023)
Discuss primary pathways of gaseous nitrogen loses from soil and the factors affecting nitrogen losses. (20M CSE 2023)
Enumerate various types of nitrogenous fertilizers. Briefly describe the role and benefits of neem-coated urea and nano urea in improving nitrogen use efficiency. (15M, IFoS-2022)
How to enhance nitrogen use efficiency in transplanted rice? (10M, CSE 2022)
Why does fertilizer nitrogen have low plant use efficiency? Explain the ways to improve the efficiency of fertilizer nitrogen. (15M, IFoS-2019)
Leaf colour chart and it’s use for nitrogen management in rice crop. (10M, CSE 2019)
What changes occur in rice puddled soil? Describe the fate of nitrogen and practices for enhancing nitrogen use efficiency in such soils. (20M, CSE 2018)
Differentiate between symbiotic and a symbiotic nitrogen fixation. How does symbiotic nitrogen fixation take place in crop plants? (10M, CSE 2017)
Discuss the importance of neem coated urea and release of nitrogen. (8M, 150W, IFoS-2015)
Discuss nitrogen transformation and its management in submerged soil for rice production. (20M, CSE 2015)
What do you understand by slow-release nitrogen from nitrogenous fertilizers? What is its impor- tance? (20M, CSE 2014)
What are the ways by which nitrogen is lost from the soil? How can nitrogen use efficiency be increased at farmer level? (10M, IFoS-2014)
Discuss the nitrogen losses from water-logged soil. What are the various practices to increase nitrogen use efficiency in submerged rice? (25M, 400W, CSE 2013)
Short notes on N-use-efficiency S. N-utilization-efficiency (20M, 200W, CSE 2007)
How does the nitrogen become available to plants when urea is applied to soil? Briefly write on nitrogen use efficiency under submerged paddy conditions (60M, CSE 2006)
Write the nitrogen transformation processes in soils. What changes does nitrogen undergo regarding losses and availability? Why are legume crops beneficial in nitrogen fixation? (60M, CSE 2005)
Short notes on Carbon: Nitrogen ratio (20M, 200W, CSE 2003)
N-application in submerged soils in rice (15M, CSE 2001)
Describe the role of nitrification inhibitors with mechanism of their working and suitable examples (60M, CSE 2000)
Differentiate fertilizer-use-efficiency and fertilizer-utilization-efficiency, Discuss the important agro technique for increasing fertilizer-use-efficiency in rice in sandy loam soil. (60M, CSE 1997)
Short critical notes Nitrification inhibitors (20M, 200W, CSE 1996)
Discuss the factors affecting phosphate fixation in soil. (15M, IFoS-2021)
What are the reasons for low availability of phosphorus nutrient? Give an account of agronomic practices to improve the phosphorus use efficiency. (20M, 200W, CSE 2019)
Role of phosphorus solubilizing and/ or mobilizing organisms in crop production. (10M, 200W, IFoS-2016)
How do calcium, aluminium and iron result in low phosphorus use efficiency? (10M, IFoS-2015)
Elaborate the ways to increase fertilizer use efficiency. (20M, CSE 2015)
Describe the potassium fixation in soil and factors affecting it. (15M, 200W, CSE 2012)
List the different form of phosphorus present in soil. How these forms become available to plants? Discuss how the phosphorus use efficiency can be increase in deficit soil. (60M, CSE 2008)
Short notes on Fixation of phosphorus and potassium in soil (20M, 200W, CSE 2003)
Short critical notes on Phosphorus in Crop Production (20M, 200W, CSE 2000)
Short critical notes on Potassium in crop production (20M, 200W, CSE 1998)
Phosphate fixation Vs phosphorus retention (200W, CSE 1993)
Problem soils and their reclamation
Write the characteristics and reclamation of saline soils and sodic soils. (15M, IFoS 2023)
Enunciate the different types of problematic soils and briefly discuss the RKVY guidelines for reclamation of problematic soils. (15M, IFoS-2022)
Write the various factors responsible for soil pollution. How organic and natural farming can play role in minimizing soil pollution? (20, CSE 2022)
How soil acidity affects crop production? Elaborate the remedial procedures of soil acidity. (20M, CSE 2022)
How does the soil acidity affect crop production? (10M, IFoS 2020)
What do you mean by problematic soil? How soil is converted into problematic soil? Explain various methods of reclamation of saline-alkali-soils. (20M, CSE 2020)
Differentiate between saline and sodic soils. Give an account of agro- techniques for management of these soils. (20M, CSE 2019)
Discuss the environmental conditions favouring the formation of acidic soils. Give reclamation measures for acidic soils. (8M, 150W, IFoS-2019)
Describe Problems and reclamation of saline and sodic soils. (10M, 150W, CSE 2018)
Describe crop management practices in the early stage of saline and alkaline soils. (10M, 200W, IFoS-2017)
Describe soil salinity’. Enumerate various methods for soil reclamation. (10M, CSE 2017)
Important characteristics of sodic soils and their reclamation. (10M, 200W, IFoS-2016)
Differentiate and elaborate Lime requirement and Leaching requirement. (10M, CSE 2015)
How does soil acidity affect the crops? (10M, CSE 2015)
How you will identify saline and alkaline soils in the field without chemical analysis. Describe the basic differences in approaches to management of saline and alkaline soils. (10M, IFoS-2015)
India has huge area under problem soil. What do you understand by problem soil? Explain the formation of salt affected soil and methods of reclamation of saline and alkaline soils. (10M, IFoS-2014)
What are the management strategies for tacking the major soil-related constraints in agricultural production? (30M, CSE 2010)
Discuss saline and alkaline soils under the following subheads: Classification and characteristics; Causes of formation; Remedial measures (60M, CSE 2009)
Saline and Alkaline soils. (15 M, CSE 2008)
Write the characteristics and process of formation of acidic soil. What part of India is affected by acidic soils? How these soils can be cultivated for efficient crop production (60M, CSE 2003)
Short critical notes on Acid soils reclamation (20M, 200W, CSE 1998)
Short critical notes on Sodic soils (20M, 200W, CSE 1996)
Short critical notes on Soil water (20M, 200W, CSE 1996)
Write the characteristics and the process of formation of saline and alkali soils. How these soils can be cultivated for efficient crop production? (CSE 1995)
Wasteland management (200W, CSE 1995)
Diaraland Vs wasteland (200W, CSE 1993)
Soil amelioration (200W, CSE 1993)
What are the characteristics of acidic soil? Explain the behaviour and its management of major nutrients in acidic soil both in upland and submerged conditions. (CSE 1992)
