PPSC Scientific Officer Agronomy Past Paper 2025

Following 88 MCQs are from PPSC Scientific Officer Agronomy Past Paper 2025

1. pH of saline soil is usually:
   a) 3 b) 4–6 c) >7 d) 7
2. Most salt tolerant fodder is:
   a) Berseem b) Oat c) Senji d) Lucerne
3. Clean tilled crops ___ erosion:
   a) Protect b) Retard c) Encourage d) Do not affect
4. The ratio of economic yield and biological yield is called:
   a) Harvest Index b) Economic yield index c) Growth efficiency index d) Ecological yield index
5. Leaf area duration explains:
   a) Development rate b) Its conversion efficiency c) Leaf persistence to stay green d) None of these
6. CGR for wheat is recommended between:
   a) 20–25 g/m²/day b) 10–15 c) 5–10 d) 30–40
7. The rice was cultivated on an area of ___ in 2022:
   a) 5 million hectares b) 4 c) 3.5 million hectares d) 2.5
8. The performance of seed can be improved in field through:
   a) Priming b) Heat treatment c) Surface treatment d) All of these
9. Mulching helps in:
   a) Weeds control b) Control evaporation c) Maintain soil temperature d) All of these
10. The end product of organic matter is:
    a) Amino acid b) Humus and CO₂ c) H⁺ and OH⁻ d) Soil
11. The organic matter content in most Pakistani soils lies between:
    a) 0–0.5% b) 0.5–1.25% c) 1.5–2.5% d) 2.5–3.5%
12. Biofertilizers produce:
    a) Hormones b) Vitamins c) Antibiotics d) All of these
13. Methane is released from:
    a) Paddy field b) Livestock farm c) Action of termites d) All of these
14. Greenhouse effect is mainly due to:
    a) CH₄ b) CO₂ c) CFCs d) None of these
15. Plants having stamens and pistils in different flowers on the same plant are called:
    a) Monoecious b) Dioecious c) Sterile d) None of these
16. Death of any plant part is called:
    a) Senescence b) Necrosis c) Injury d) Hyponasty
17. Amount of water stored in the soil depends on water:
    a) Density b) Holding capacity c) Purity d) Quality
18. Which one is not a practice for controlling runoff water?
    a) Strip cropping b) Contour ploughing c) Water harvesting d) Terracing
19. Earthing up is done in sugarcane at:
    a) 3 months before planting b) 1 month before planting c) 1 week after planting d) 4 months after planting
20. Which one is C3 plant?
    a) Potato b) Sorghum c) Maize d) Panicum species
21. Sunflower is:
    a) C3 b) C4 c) CAM d) None of these
22. Rice nursery of fine varieties should not be sown before:
    a) 1 June b) 20 May c) 10 June d) 20 June
23. Organic farming will be ___ sustainable agriculture:
    a) Always b) Linked with c) Sometimes d) None of these
24. The word Agronomy is derived from ___ word:
    a) Greek b) Latin c) Arabic d) French
25. Three broad zones of Pakistan are irrigated lowlands, rainfed lowlands and:
    a) Rice-wheat zone b) Cotton-wheat zone c) Mountain area d) None of these

26. Erosion of soil under natural condition is called:
    a) Sheet erosion b) Natural erosion c) Rill erosion d) Gully erosion
27. The recommended row-to-row and plant-to-plant distance in rice:
    a) 22.5 cm (9 inches) b) 23.5 cm c) 20 cm d) 25 cm
28. Melilotus indica is a weed usually found in:
    a) Sugarcane b) Wheat c) Maize d) Cotton
29. The national average yield of maize in kg/ha:
    a) 6400 b) 6700 c) 7000 d) 7400
30. The plant-to-plant distance of spring maize is:
    a) 4 inch b) 6 inch c) 8 inch d) 9 inch
31. The scientific term for cultivation of citrus fruits:
    a) Arboriculture b) Viticulture c) Citriculture d) Floriculture
32. Groundnut is native of:
    a) South America b) India c) Iran d) Turkey
33. Maximum temperature (°C) at which cotton growth stops at reproductive phase:
    a) 20 b) 30 c) 33 d) 35
34. Which pollution is important regarding agriculture point of view?
    a) Noise b) Soil c) Air d) None of these
35. As per recent climate risk reports, Pakistan ranks among the most vulnerable countries to global warming. Its approximate rank:
    a) 8th b) 10th c) 12th d) 14th
36. Pakistan produces best quality ___ in the world:
    a) Citrus b) Mango c) Basmati rice d) All of these
37. Plant hormones have a very beneficial role in plants when their concentration is:
    a) High b) Medium c) Low d) None of these
38. Reactive oxygen species generated in plants due to heat stress:
    a) Singlet oxygen b) Superoxide radicals c) Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) d) All of these
39. MA-21 is a variety of:
    a) Wheat b) Rice c) Maize d) Cotton
40. The outer layer of wheat seed is called:
    a) Testa b) Aleurone layer c) Tegmen d) Pericarp
41. Tillage operations help incorporate:
    a) Fertilizer b) Manures c) Crop residues d) All of these
42. Which of the following pollutants affects plant growth:
    a) SO₂ b) Ozone c) Oxidants d) All of these
43. Most common disease of wheat in Pakistan:
    a) Stem rust b) Loose smut c) Foot rot d) Kernel bunt
44. Which of the following is most destructive disease of wheat:
    a) Stem rust (Black rust) b) Stripe rust (Yellow) c) Leaf rust (Brown) d) All of these
45. “Leave the world, ___.” Complete it.
    a) As you found it b) Better than you found it c) Worse than you found it d) Don’t care
46. The silvery color of plant leaves can be caused by:
    a) Snowfall b) Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) c) Hydrogen fluoride d) None of these
47. The ratio of water stored in reservoir for irrigation to total water available is:
    a) Storage efficiency b) Application efficiency c) Conveyance efficiency d) Root zone storage efficiency
48. The minimum rainfall in a single day considered as effective rainfall is:
    a) 1.5 mm b) 2.5 mm c) 3.5 mm d) 4.5 mm
49. How many sets of sugarcane are required per hectare?
    a) 25,000–30,000 b) 35,000–45,000 c) 45,000–50,000 d) 30,000–35,000
50. The Indus Water Treaty was signed in which year?
    a) 1960 b) 1955 c) 1971 d) 1965

51. DAP contains phosphorus:
    a) 46% b) 48% c) 18% d) 36%
52. In Pakistan, the optimal temperature for root development in most fruit crops is:
    a) 10–15°C b) 20–25°C c) 30–35°C d) 5–10°C
53. Which of the following is renewable energy resource at farm:
    a) Solar b) Wind c) Biogas d) Both a and b
54. Analysis of Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) is more complex than:
    a) CRD b) SPD c) SSPD d) SPDF
55. The test used for comparing treatment means is:
    a) Tukey test b) LSD test c) DMR test d) Both a and b
56. Non-destructive measurements are taken from:
    a) Non-experimental area b) Border rows c) Experimental area d) None of these
57. Green manuring and organic matter contribute to increasing soil ___ contents:
    a) C b) N c) P d) K
58. The pungent smell in canola oil is due to:
    a) Erucic acid b) Glucosinolates c) Linolenic acid d) Oleic acid
59. Nutrient limited level in crop production is:
    a) Production Level I b) Production Level II c) Production Level III d) Production Level IV
60. The pH of fertile soil in Pakistan ranges between:
    a) 5.5–6.5 b) 8–8.5 c) 7.3–7.8 d) 6–6.5
61. The comparison of input variables given to a model and statistical variables after results is called:
    a) Model calibration b) Model error c) Model simulation d) Model validation
62. The suitable pH range for tea cultivation is:
    a) 4.5–5.5 b) 5.5–6.5 c) 6.5–7.5 d) 7.0–8.0
63. Academic writing should focus on:
    a) Language b) Reader friendliness c) Tables d) Figures
64. Ideal moisture percentage for harvesting maize to minimize grain damage and losses:
    a) 15–20% b) 15–25% c) 30–35% d) 21–25%
65. Experimental error can be reduced by using:
    a) Calculator b) Computer program c) Local control/Blocking d) Treatment
66. How is endosperm formed in flowering plants?
    a) Synergid cells b) Antipodal cells c) Suspensor cells d) Fusion of sperm with polar nuclei
67. In an experiment, the response to be observed is a result of:
    a) Independent variable b) Dependent variable c) Treatment d) Control variable
68. If land is cultivated repeatedly with a cultivator, which type of soil compaction layer forms?
    a) Plough pan b) Hard pan c) Subsurface pan d) Mulch layer
69. The crops that are grown, harvested, and fed to animals as fresh are:
    a) Cash crops b) Relay crops c) Silage crops d) Cover crops
70. The crops that are fermented and then provided to animals as feed are called:
    a) Hay b) Silage c) Forage d) Green manure
71. ___ oxygen concentration reduces the activity of nitrogenase enzyme which helps in biological nitrogen fixation:
    a) High b) Medium c) Low d) Very low
72. Bulk density of soil affects:
    a) Soil aeration b) Soil compaction c) Moisture retention capacity d) All of these
73. Surge irrigation is:
    a) Low WUE b) High runoff c) Low application efficiency d) Faster and high efficiency
74. At which stage should green manure crops be added to the soil?
    a) Maturity b) Vegetative c) Juvenile d) Reproductive
75. In an experiment, a treatment that appears multiple times in the experimental area is called:
    a) Repetition b) Replication c) Randomization d) Control

76. Topping is mostly done in:
    a) Tobacco b) Gram c) Sugarcane d) All of these
77. What is the water loss from a canal head to the field?
    a) 35% b) 45% c) 55% d) 65%
78. Which of the following agricultural inputs cause pollution?
    a) Herbicides b) Pesticides c) Fertilizers d) All of these
79. The major problem regarding seed production of alfalfa is:
    a) Diseases b) Insect pests c) Salinity d) Pollination
80. In a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), the high value of degrees of freedom is associated with:
    a) SSE b) MSE c) SOV d) None of these
81. Fruit development starts after the development of which structure?
    a) Ovary b) Ovule c) Endosperm d) Pollen grain
82. Rp = rp × ___
    a) EDF b) MSE c) SSE d) None of these
83. Equatorial forests are:
    a) Deciduous b) Evergreen c) Coniferous d) Scrub
84. Which of the following method is used for weeds management in sustainable agriculture?
    a) Physical b) Ecological c) Manual d) Mechanical
85. BMPs (Best Management Practices) are:
    a) Site specific b) Randomly applied c) Ineffective in sustainable farming d) None of these
86. Which kind of tillage operation is done in conventional tillage?
    a) No tillage b) Zero c) Minimum d) Maximum/Intensive tillage
87. Well decomposed organic matter is called:
    a) Compost b) Humus c) Manure d) None of these
88. The recommended seed rate of fine rice per acre is:
    a) 4–5 kg b) 2–3 kg c) 8–10 kg d) 12–15 kg

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