Practical Skills, Field Work and Project Work
Practical skills, field work, and project work test hands-on accuracy. The exam asks for procedures, calculations, and interpretation of field and laboratory observations.
Soil and seed testing
Collect soil with a zigzag path, 0–15 cm depth for field crops, using a composite sample from several spots. Mix, quarter, and send a representative sample. Seed testing measures purity, germination, and moisture. Germination percentage = normal seedlings ÷ total seeds tested × 100. Tetrazolium chloride tests viability, not germination percentage. Seed moisture affects storage life.
Field and project skills
Nursery raising, transplanting, grafting, pest scouting, and disease diagnosis require careful observation and record keeping. A project report states title, objectives, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Field layout may use randomisation and replication to reduce bias. Record dates, doses, and observations honestly.
Worked example
A seed lot is tested with 100 seeds; 80 produce normal seedlings. Germination = 80 ÷ 100 × 100 = 80%. If purity is 95%, pure live seed = 0.95 × 0.80 × 100 = 76%. This means 76 kg of pure live seed per 100 kg of lot.
Traps that cost marks
Do not sample only the fertile spot; a composite sample must represent the field. Do not report tetrazolium results as germination percentage. Do not omit the control or replication in a field trial. Do not invent results in a project report.