IARI PhD Soil Science Questions Paper

IARI PhD Admission Exam 2011-12 Questions Paper

Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi

Discipline : Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry

Please Note:
(i) This question paper contains 13 pages. Please check whether all the pages are
printed in this set. Report discrepancy, if any, immediately to the invigilator.
(ii) There shall be NEGATIVE marking for WRONG answers in the Multiple
Choice type questions (No* 1 to 130) which carry one mark each. For every
wrong answer 0.2S mark will be deducted. 

Download full Ques. Paper with Answer PDF (Click here) 

Watch Video of Explanation of Answer of these Question (Click here) 

Practice these Question in App and Check your Score  (Click here) 

PART -1 (General Agriculture)

Multiple choice questions (No. 1 to 30).
Choose the correct answer (a, b, c or d)and enter your choice in the circle (by shading with a pencil) on the OMR - answer sheet as per the instructions given on the answer sheet.

1. Which of the following crops have been approved for commercial cultivation in India?
a) Bt cotton and Bt brinjal
b) Bt cotton and Golden Rice
c) Bt maize and Bt cotton
d) Bt cotton only
2. This year (2010-11) the expected food grain production in India is
a) 212 million tonnes
b) 220 million tonnes
c) 235 million tonnes
d) 250 million tonnes
3. The genome of which of the following crops is still not completely sequenced?
a) Rice
b) Soybean
c) Sorghum
d) Vfyieat .
4. According to the Approach Paper to the 12th Five Year Plan, the basic objective of the 12th Plan is
a) Inclusive growth
b) Sustainable growth
c) Faster, more inclusive and sustainable growth
d) Inclusive and sustainable growth
5. To address the problems of sustainable and holistic development of rainfed areas, including appropriate farming and livelihood system approaches, the Government of India has set up the .
a) National Rainfed Area Authority
b) National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas
c) National Mission on Rainfed Areas
d) Command Area Development and Water Management Authority
6. Which of the following sub-schemes are not covered under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana?
a) Extending the Green Revolution to eastern India
b) Development of 60,000 pulses and oilseeds villages In identified watersheds
c) National Mission on Saffron
d) National Mission on Bamboo
7. The minimum support price for the common variety of paddy announced by the Government of India for the year 2010-11 was
a) Rs 1030
b) Rs 1000
c) Rs 980
d) Rs 950
8. According to the Human Development Report 2010 of the United Nations, India's rank in terms of the human development index is
a) 119
b) 134
c) 169
d) 182
9. Which of the following does not apply to SRI method of paddy cultivation?
a) Reduced water application
b) Reduced plant density
c) Increased application of chemical fertilizers
d) Reduced age of seedlings
10. Which organic acid, often used as a preservative, occurs naturally in cranberries, prunes, cinnamon and cloves?
a) Citric acid
b) Benzoic acid .
c) Tartaric acid
d) Lactic acid
11. Cotton belongs to the family
a) Cruciferae
b) Anacardiaceae
c) Malvaceae
d) Solanaceae
12. Photoperiodism is
a) Bending of shoot towards source of light
b) Effect of light/dark durations on physiological processes
c) Movement of chloroplast in cell in response to light .
d) Effect of light on chlorophyll synthesis
13. Ergot disease is caused by which pathogen on which host?
a) Claviceps purpurea on rye
b) Puccinia recondita on wheat
c) Drechlera sorokiniana on wheat
d) Albugo Candida on mustard
14. Rocks are the chief sources of parent materials over which soils are developed. Granite, an important rock, is classified as
a) Igneous rock
b) Metamorphic rock
c) Sedimentary rock
d) Hybrid rock
15. Which one of the following is a Kharif crop?
a) Pearl millet
b) Lentil
c) Mustard
d) Wheat
16. The coefficient of variation (C.V.) is calculated by the'formula
a) (Mean/S.D.) x 100
b) (S.D./Mean) x 100
c) S.D./Mean
d) Mean/S.D.
17. Which of the following is commonly referred to as muriate of potash? .
a) Potassium nitrate
b) Potassium chloride
c) Potassium sulphate
d) Potassium silicate
18. Inbred lines that have same genetic constitution but differ only at one locus are called
a) Mult! lines
b) Monohybrid
c) Isogenic lines,
d) Pure lines
19. For applying 100 kg of nitrogen, how much urea would one use?
a) 45 kg
b) 111 kg
c) 222 kg
d) 333 kg
20. The devastating impact of plant disease on human suffering and survival was first realized by epidemic of
a) Brown spot of rice In Bengal
b) Late blight of potato in USA
c) Late blight of potato in Europe
d) Rust of wheat in India
21. The species of rice (Oryza) other than O. sativa that is cultivated is
a) O. rufipugon
b) O. longisteminata ,
c) O. glaberrima
d) O. nivara
22. The enzyme responsible for the fixation of COa In mesophyll cells of C-4 plants is
a) Malic enzyme
b) Phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase
c) Phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase
d) RuBP carboxylase
23. Which one of the following is a 'Vertisol'?
a) Black cotton soil
b) Red sandy loam soil
c) Sandy loam sodic soil
d) Submontane (Tarai) soil
24. What is the most visible physical characteristic of cells in metaphase? .
a) Elongated chromosomes
b) Nucleus visible but chromosomes not
c) Fragile double stranded loose chromosomes
d) Condensed paired chromosomes on the cell plate