Cumin Crop Fungus Fighter Quiz Quiz

Assess and improve your knowledge of effective strategies for managing fungal diseases in cumin crops, with practical scenarios covering disease identification, prevention, and control. This quiz supports best practices for sustainable cumin production.

1. Identifying Common Fungal Threats to Cumin

   Which fungal disease most commonly affects cumin crops and shows symptoms like wilting and brown discoloration of stems?

   1. Downy mildew
   2. Powdery mildew
   3. Leaf blight
   4. Fusarium wilt

   Explanation: Fusarium wilt is a major fungal threat to cumin, causing wilting and brown stem discoloration. Downy mildew causes yellow patches and white mold on leaves, not stem wilting. Powdery mildew results in white powdery growth, not stem symptoms. Leaf blight mainly causes leaf spots, but does not typically impact stems first.

2. Resistant Variety Selection for Disease Prevention

   When planning a cumin crop in a field with a history of fungal diseases, what is the most effective initial preventive measure?

   1. Applying fertilizer more often
   2. Planting resistant varieties
   3. Delaying sowing until late season
   4. Increasing irrigation frequency

   Explanation: Planting disease-resistant cumin varieties reduces the risk of fungal infections from the start. More frequent irrigation may worsen fungal problems by creating moist conditions. Over-fertilizing does not prevent fungal disease. Delaying sowing is not directly effective against fungal pathogens.

3. Impact of Crop Rotation

   How does rotating cumin with non-host crops help in controlling soil-borne fungi such as Fusarium?

   1. It provides shade to the cumin plants.
   2. It reduces weed populations only.
   3. It disrupts the lifecycle of fungi by depriving them of preferred hosts.
   4. It increases the soil's nutrient levels.

   Explanation: Crop rotation with non-host plants reduces soil-borne fungi by breaking their lifecycle and lowering their populations. While soil nutrients may be affected, that's not the primary disease control mechanism. Providing shade or only reducing weeds does not target fungal pathogens specifically.

4. Safe Fungicide Application Timing

   If a cumin field shows early signs of powdery mildew, when is the optimal stage to apply a recommended fungicide for best results?

   1. When the plants reach maturity
   2. At the first visible sign of infection
   3. During the dry season only
   4. After harvest is complete

   Explanation: Applying fungicide at the first signs of powdery mildew maximizes effectiveness by curbing disease spread early. Waiting until after harvest or plant maturity is too late. Restricting application only to the dry season ignores the timing of disease onset, which may occur in various conditions.

5. Sanitation Practices for Fungus Management

   Which field sanitation practice helps reduce fungal disease incidence in cumin crops?

   1. Removing and destroying infected plant residues
   2. Leaving all plant debris in the field
   3. Mixing cumin with unrelated weed seeds
   4. Irrigating daily regardless of climate

   Explanation: Clearing infected plant residues reduces the carryover of fungal spores to the next crop. Leaving debris can harbor pathogens, daily irrigation can promote fungal growth if not needed, and mixing with weed seeds may introduce more diseases rather than prevent them.