GCE A/L Agricultural Science case studies
GCE A/L Agricultural Science · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The GCE Advanced Level Agricultural Science examination is a school-leaving and university-entrance qualification taken after two years of upper-secondary study, typically by students in Sri Lanka and in systems that follow a comparable GCE A/L structure. It suits candidates who intend to read agriculture, animal science, food science, or environmental fields at university, and those preparing for technical or extension roles. The GCE A/L Agricultural Science case studies are 5 cases and about 5,619 words.
1Blossom-end rot and fruit cracking in drip-irrigated tomato
A 0.4 ha block of indeterminate tomato is drip-irrigated on a sandy loam with pH 6.8, exchangeable Ca 6.0, Mg 2.1 and K 0.9 cmol/kg. Fertigation delivers 220 kg N/ha, 35% of it as ammonium sulphate, and 260 kg K2O/ha.
1,083 words, about 5 min2Liming an acid Ultisol on a limited budget and a short planting window
A farmer in the wet zone has 1 ha of red-yellow Ultisol (clay 28%, organic C 1.2%) that has grown cassava for six years. Analysis of the 0–20 cm layer gives pH (1:2.5 water) 4.6; exchangeable Al 2.8, Ca 0.8, Mg 0.3 and K 0.15 cmol/kg; CEC 6.5 cmol/kg; Olsen P 4 mg/kg.
1,134 words, about 6 min3Milk fat depression and suspected subclinical acidosis in a crossbred dairy herd
A 24-cow herd of Friesian × local crossbreds averages 16 L/day. The ration is 9 kg/day of an 18% CP concentrate (maize, wheat bran, coconut poonac) fed in two meals, with 12 kg fresh hybrid Napier and 3 kg rice straw.
1,051 words, about 5 min4Partial budget for a two-wheel tractor versus continued custom hiring
A 4 ha vegetable farm hires a contractor for land preparation, rotavation and inter-row cultivation - three passes at Rs 18,000 per hectare per pass, Rs 216,000 a year. Last season the contractor arrived nine days late at peak season and the owner estimates this cost about Rs 30,000 in lost yield.
1,201 words, about 6 min5Chilling injury, anthracnose and uneven ripening in a mango consignment
Three tonnes of mango of a local cultivar are harvested at 6.8 °Brix, firm and green, and trucked 30 hours in an open lorry at 32–35 °C. They are then held 14 days at 9 °C before being ripened at ambient 30 °C.
1,150 words, about 6 min