Defending Your Harvest Quiz Quiz

Explore key concepts in crop loss management, including prevention methods, assessment strategies, and best practices for minimizing losses due to pests, diseases, and climate challenges. This quiz helps strengthen foundational knowledge for resilient and efficient farming.

1. Identifying Causes of Crop Loss

   Which of the following scenarios is an example of abiotic crop loss in agriculture?

   1. Aphids transmitting mosaic virus in beans
   2. Late blight infecting potato crops
   3. Drought resulting in wilting maize plants
   4. Corn borer infestation damaging stalks

   Explanation: Drought is a non-living (abiotic) factor causing crop loss by limiting water availability. Corn borers, late blight, and aphids are examples of biotic factors since they involve living organisms, such as insects or pathogens. Differentiating abiotic from biotic causes is crucial for effective management.

2. Evaluating Loss Assessment Methods

   What is the primary reason for conducting field surveys when assessing crop losses after a hailstorm?

   1. To estimate the actual extent of damage on crops
   2. To calibrate irrigation systems for future use
   3. To determine seed germination rates
   4. To monitor pesticide residue levels

   Explanation: Field surveys help quantify damage severity and area affected, guiding appropriate interventions. Calibration of irrigation systems and germination rate assessments are not direct responses to hailstorm loss. Monitoring pesticide residue is unrelated to natural disaster impact evaluation.

3. Prevention Strategies

   Which crop loss prevention approach relies mainly on using different plant varieties each season to reduce disease buildup?

   1. Hand weeding
   2. Excess fertilizer application
   3. Crop rotation
   4. Late harvesting

   Explanation: Crop rotation interrupts disease cycles by changing host crops, making it harder for pathogens to persist. Excess fertilizer can lead to other problems, hand weeding is for weed control, and late harvesting can increase rather than decrease losses.

4. Understanding Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

   In Integrated Pest Management (IPM), why is combining biological, cultural, and chemical controls recommended for managing pest-related crop loss?

   1. It eliminates the need for crop monitoring
   2. It guarantees pest eradication every season
   3. It increases pesticide application rates for faster results
   4. It reduces reliance on a single method and lowers resistance development

   Explanation: Combining methods in IPM lessens pest adaptation risks and is more sustainable. Increasing pesticide use can cause problems, lack of monitoring reduces effectiveness, and no method guarantees complete pest eradication.

5. Managing Post-Harvest Losses

   Which storage practice best helps to prevent post-harvest losses due to insect infestation in stored grains?

   1. Drying grains thoroughly before storage
   2. Leaving grains in the field after harvest
   3. Mixing fresh grains with old stocks
   4. Storing grains in unsealed sacks

   Explanation: Proper drying reduces moisture, making conditions unsuitable for insects and molds. Mixing old and new grains can spread pests, unsealed sacks invite infestation, and field storage increases exposure to pests and weather.