Defend Your Brinjal Quiz Quiz

Explore essential strategies and knowledge areas for protecting brinjal crops against pests, diseases, and environmental challenges in horticulture. Improve your understanding of effective brinjal protection methods suitable for various growing conditions.

1. Brinjal Shoot and Fruit Borer Management

   Which method is most effective for controlling the brinjal shoot and fruit borer without heavy reliance on chemical pesticides?

   1. Installing pheromone traps in the field
   2. Regularly applying nitrogen-based fertilizers
   3. Pruning all lower leaves weekly
   4. Increasing irrigation frequency

   Explanation: Installing pheromone traps helps monitor and reduce the population of brinjal shoot and fruit borers by attracting and trapping the adult moths. Regularly applying nitrogen-based fertilizers can increase plant growth but does not control this pest. Increasing irrigation frequency may actually favor pest development. Pruning lower leaves is not directly effective against this borer.

2. Disease Identification in Brinjal

   A brinjal plant shows yellowing and wilting of leaves, especially during hot weather. Which disease is most likely responsible?

   1. Root knot nematode
   2. Anthracnose
   3. Powdery mildew
   4. Bacterial wilt

   Explanation: Bacterial wilt causes sudden wilting and yellowing without significant leaf spots, especially when temperatures are high. Powdery mildew appears as white powdery patches. Root knot nematode leads to galls on roots, not acute wilting. Anthracnose mostly causes spots and rotting, not widespread wilting.

3. Resistant Varieties in Brinjal Cultivation

   Why is using brinjal varieties resistant to major pests and diseases considered a sustainable protection practice?

   1. It lowers chemical input and improves long-term yield
   2. It provides immunity against all possible pests
   3. It eliminates the need for irrigation
   4. It ensures fruits are always larger in size

   Explanation: Resistant varieties reduce the need for pesticides and can result in more stable yields. They do not guarantee larger fruits; fruit size depends on multiple factors. No plant variety has immunity against all pests. Resistance does not remove the need for irrigation.

4. Crop Rotation for Brinjal Protection

   How does crop rotation help in protecting brinjal crops from soil-borne pathogens?

   1. It allows pests to mature more quickly
   2. It ensures only brinjal is grown in one area year-round
   3. It interrupts pathogen life cycles by alternating non-host crops
   4. It increases the nutrient content specific to brinjal

   Explanation: By rotating with crops that do not host targeted pathogens, crop rotation breaks the disease cycle. Increasing nutrients is a separate benefit not specific to crop rotation's protective effect. Allowing pests to mature is unfavorable, and continuous brinjal planting actually increases disease risk.

5. Insecticide Safety in Brinjal Fields

   Which precaution is most important when applying insecticides in brinjal fields during fruiting season?

   1. Double the dose for better pest control
   2. Harvest immediately after spraying
   3. Follow recommended pre-harvest intervals
   4. Spray during midday in high heat

   Explanation: Pre-harvest intervals ensure chemical residues degrade to safe levels before consumption. Doubling doses can harm plants, the environment, and consumers. Spraying at midday increases drift and reduces effectiveness. Harvesting immediately after spraying risks unsafe residues.