Safeguarding Maize Mastery Quiz Quiz

Explore key methods and concepts in protecting maize crops from pests, diseases, and environmental threats to support higher productivity and sustainable yields.

1. Identifying a Common Maize Pest

   Which insect is known for causing significant damage to maize crops by boring into the stems, often leading to plant weakness and lodging?

   1. Corn Leaf Hopper
   2. Ladybird Beetle
   3. Aphid
   4. Maize Stem Borer

   Explanation: Maize Stem Borers are notorious for tunneling into maize stems, which weakens plants and can cause lodging. Aphids mainly attack leaves and suck sap, while ladybird beetles are generally beneficial predators, not pests. Corn Leaf Hoppers do not bore into stems but may transmit plant diseases.

2. Weed Management in Maize Fields

   Why is early-season weed control especially important for maize cultivation, especially within the first six weeks after planting?

   1. It prevents competition for nutrients and water
   2. It reduces soil erosion
   3. It encourages beneficial fungi growth
   4. It increases soil acidity

   Explanation: Weeds compete with maize for essential resources like nutrients, water, and light, particularly in the early growth stages. While weed control can incidentally reduce erosion, the primary reason is to limit competition. Increasing soil acidity and encouraging beneficial fungi are not typical outcomes of weed management.

3. Recognizing Disease Symptoms

   A farmer notices yellow streaks and mosaic patterns on maize leaves. Which disease is most likely responsible for these symptoms?

   1. Anthracnose
   2. Maize Streak Virus
   3. Downy Mildew
   4. Ear Rot

   Explanation: Maize Streak Virus commonly causes yellow streaks and mosaic patterns, which can lead to stunted plant growth. Downy mildew presents as white or grayish patches, ear rot affects kernels rather than leaves, and anthracnose typically causes dark, water-soaked lesions.

4. Appropriate Use of Biological Control

   Which practice exemplifies biological control in maize pest management?

   1. Mechanical tillage of the field
   2. Spraying chemical herbicides
   3. Releasing beneficial parasitoid wasps
   4. Applying nitrogen-rich fertilizer

   Explanation: Introducing parasitoid wasps targets pest insects by using their natural enemies, which is core to biological control. Chemical herbicides control weeds, not pests, fertilizers supply nutrients, and mechanical tillage is a physical, not biological, management method.

5. Fungal Disease Prevention

   What is an effective practice for reducing the risk of fungal diseases in maize, such as common smut or leaf blight?

   1. Continuous monocropping of maize
   2. Irrigating at night
   3. Crop rotation with non-host plants
   4. Planting at extremely high densities

   Explanation: Rotating crops helps reduce the build-up of pathogens in the soil that target maize. Continuous monocropping can increase disease pressure; irrigating at night can prolong leaf wetness and favor fungi, and planting too densely can decrease airflow, further increasing disease risk.