Agriculture: Agronomy, Soil Science and Crop Protection for AFO
What is tested
The Agriculture section is the professional-knowledge core of IBPS AFO. It covers agronomy and crop production, soil science and soil fertility, horticulture, plant breeding and seed technology, entomology and plant pathology, agricultural economics, extension education, and allied sectors such as animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries. Expect a mix of one-line factual recall and small numeric problems on fertilizer doses, seed rates and irrigation scheduling.
Facts that recur
- Fertilizer grades (nutrient % by weight): urea 46% N; DAP 18% N + 46% P₂O₅; SSP 16% P₂O₅ + 11% S; MOP (muriate of potash) 60% K₂O; ammonium sulphate 20.6% N.
- Photosynthetic pathway: rice, wheat, soybean and pulses are C3; maize, sorghum, sugarcane and pearl millet are C4, which generally show higher water-use efficiency.
- Critical irrigation stages: wheat - crown root initiation (20–25 DAS), tillering, jointing, flowering, milk and dough; rice - panicle initiation, booting, flowering; maize - knee-high, tasselling and silking.
- Seed rate: wheat 100 kg/ha, maize 20 kg/ha, soybean 70–75 kg/ha, transplanted rice nursery 50–60 kg/ha.
- Soil reaction: most field crops prefer pH 6.5–7.5; lime corrects acidic soils, gypsum reclaims sodic soils.
Worked example
A recommendation reads 120:60:40 kg N:P₂O₅:K₂O per hectare. The farmer has already applied 100 kg DAP and 100 kg urea. From DAP, N = 18 kg and P₂O₅ = 46 kg; from urea, N = 46 kg. N applied so far = 64 kg, P₂O₅ = 46 kg. Balance N = 56 kg → 56 ÷ 0.46 ≈ 122 kg urea. Balance P₂O₅ = 14 kg → 14 ÷ 0.46 ≈ 30 kg DAP. K₂O = 40 kg → 40 ÷ 0.60 ≈ 67 kg MOP.
Traps that cost marks
Bags are labelled on an oxide basis (P₂O₅, K₂O), never elemental, so do not divide by the elemental value. 1 hectare = 2.47 acres. Read negative stems carefully. Do not confuse a KVK (krishi vigyan kendra, under ICAR/SAU) with ATMA or with a state department of agriculture office.