Environmental Studies · Biology

Soil Science and Fertilizers

1,509 Questions

Soil science focuses on soil formation, classification, and fertility management using fertilizers and organic amendments. Agricultural and environmental science exams heavily feature questions on biofertilizers, mycorrhiza, and phytoremediation. Practice these questions to build a strong understanding of soil nutrient cycles.

Phytoremediation techniquesOrganic soil amendmentsBiofertilizers and mycorrhizaNitrous oxide emissionsIn-situ soil remediationGreen manuring effects

Soil Science and Fertilizers Questions

Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

In a classroom discussion, three students made the following statements.

Shikha: Fertilizers are chemical substances that are rich in a particular nutrient.
Ritesh: Fertilizers increase the water holding capacity of the soil.
Abhishek: Fertilizers used in excess provide lots of humus to the soil.

Which student(s) made incorrect statement(s)?

  1. Shikha and Ritesh

  2. Ritesh and Abhishek

  3. Abhishek and Shikha

  4. Shikha only
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

  • Fertilizers, chemically synthesized substances that are rich in plant nutrients such as NPK. 
  • They are artificially made but have a rapid response. It is applied to soils or to plant tissues to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. So, the statement given by Shikha is correct.
  • Fertilizers have a low capacity for holding water and nutrients. So, the statement given by Ritesh is incorrect.
  • The excessive use of fertilizers causes damage to the plants. So, the statement given by Abhishek is incorrect.

Thus, the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

Composted manure is produced from________________

  1. Farmyard manure and green manure

  2. Farm refuse and household refuse

  3. Organic remains of biogas plants

  4. Rotten vegetables and animal fecal refuse
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

  • Composted manure is produced from rotten vegetables and animal fecal refuse. 
  • In this process, green wastes are collected and dumped in an area and microorganisms like bacteria and fungi degrade them into humus. 
  • This process is aided by shredding the plant matter, adding water and ensuring proper aeration by regularly turning the mixture. 
  • It acts as a good and natural fertilizer for plants.
So, the correct answer is option D.

Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

Apart from soil fertility, manure also enhances .......... of the soil. 

  1. Decomposition of microorganisms

  2. Roots holding capacity

  3. Soil binding capacity

  4. Water holding capacity
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
  • Manure is an organic substance produced by the decomposition of plant and animal wastes in the presence of microorganisms and used as fertilizers. It enhances the water holding capacity of the soil. 
  • It also makes the soil porous which makes the exchange of gases easy.

Therefore, the correct answer is option D.
Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

.......... increases crop productivity only to some extent.

  1. Fertilizer

  2. Manure

  3. Water

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Manure is organic and provides nutrients slowly, often leading to a more gradual increase in crop productivity compared to chemical fertilizers. Fertilizers are typically designed for more rapid and significant yield increases.

Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

Which of the following is a synthetic substance?

  1. Manure

  2. Nutrients

  3. Minerals

  4. Fertilizers
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
  • Fertilizers, chemically synthesized substances that are rich in plant nutrients such as NPK. 
  • They are artificially made but have a rapid response. The overuse of fertilizers can cause negative effects like loose soil fertility.
Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

Animal manure can be contaminated due to

  1. Paper

  2. Wool

  3. Stones

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Animal manure is organic matter, which is used as a fertilizer in agriculture. The manure gets contaminated only when micro-organisms attack. Animal manure can improve the soil aggregation so that the soil becomes more fertile. Horse manure is mostly used in agriculture apart from the horse manure cattle manures like cow dung, sheep manure.

So, the correct option is ' None of the above'.

Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

_____________ is mainly used to ensure good vegetative growth (leaves, branches, and flowers), giving rise to healthy plants.

  1. Manure

  2. Insecticide

  3. Pesticide

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Manure is used as an organic fertiliser for the better growth of plants. Manure supply nutrients required for the plant growth. It also, improve the fertility of the soil. Horse manure is mainly used as fertilisers in many agricultural fields.

So, the correct option is 'Manure'.

Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

.......... is a most important fertilizer.

  1. Carbon

  2. Phosphorous

  3. Nitrogen

  4. Oxygen
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
  • Nitrogen is considered to be the most important fertilizer, and plants absorb more nitrogen than any other element. Nitrogen is essential in making sure plants are healthy as they develop and nutritious to eat after they are harvested. That is because nitrogen is essential in the formation of protein, and protein makes up much of the tissues of most living things. 
Therefore, the correct answer is option C.
Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

The increased use of nitrogen fertilizers results in .......... in the atmosphere.

  1. Greenhouse effect

  2. Global warming

  3. Ozone depletion

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

  • The increased use of nitrogen fertilizer, adds to the already existing amount of reactive nitrogen in the atmosphere, in the form of nitrous oxide (N2O) through the nitrogen cycle. 
  • It is the third most important greenhouse gas following carbon dioxide and methane. Greenhouses gases, including nitrous oxide, causes global warming by absorbing the solar energy in the atmosphere and global warming leads to the stratospheric ozone depletion. 

Therefore, the correct answer is option D.

Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

Which of the following descriptions is true for describing a fertiliser?

  1. Used in large quantity

  2. Organic in nature

  3. Does not cause pollution

  4. Produced in factories
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Fertilizer is a natural or an artificial material that is used in agriculture to grow the crops. Fertilizers are mixed with soils for the better growing of crops and to supply minerals and nutrients to plants. Fertilisers may be organic and inorganic. Fertilisers are mainly made up of horse manure and cow dung.

So, the correct option is 'Produced in industries'.

Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

.......... contains large quantities of organic matter and also supplies small quantities of nutrients to the soil.

  1. Manure

  2. Water

  3. Seeds

  4. Roots
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Manure is an organic substance produced by the decomposition of plant and animal wastes in the presence of microorganism and used as fertilizers because it contains nutrients such as nitrogen, that are trapped by bacteria in the soil. Manure contains large quantities of organic matter and also supplies small quantities of nutrients to the soil.


Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

Fertilizer are used for _______

  1. Ensure good vegetative growth (leaves, branches and flowers),

  2. Giving rise to healthy plants

  3. All of the above

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Fertilizers provide essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are necessary for overall plant health, vegetative growth, and reproductive development.

Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

Fertilizers gets washed away due to 

  1. Excessive irrigation

  2. Not fully absorbed by the plants

  3. Above A and B

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Fertilisers, chemically synthesized substances which are rich in plant nutrients such as NPK. They are artificially made but have a rapid response. Fertilizers are any solid, liquid or gaseous substances that are applied to the soil, directly on the plant (foliage) or added to aqueous solutions (as in fertigation) to maintain soil fertility, improve crop development, yield and/or crop quality. Sometimes fertilizers get washed away due to excessive irrigation and are not fully absorbed by the plants. Overuse of fertilisers can cause negative effects like loose soil fertility, bioaccumulation etc.

Thus, the correct answer is option C.

Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

Fertilizers should be applied carefully in terms of .......... , for their complete utilisation.

  1. Proper dose

  2. Time

  3. Observing pre- and post-application precautions

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Fertilisers, chemically synthesized substances which are rich in plant nutrients such as NPK. They are artificially made but have a rapid response. Overuse of fertilisers can cause negative effects like loose soil fertility, bioaccumulation etc. Fertilizers should be applied carefully in terms of proper dose, time, and observing pre and post-application precautions for their complete utilisation.

Thus, the correct answer is option D.

Multiple choice biology improvement in food resources manure manures and fertilisers role of organic manures in soil management

Why is organic manure considered better than fertilizers?

  1. It cannot be prepared in fields

  2. It is less rich in plant nutrients

  3. It improves the fertility and texture of the soil

  4. It decreases the water holding capacity of the soil
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Organic manure or organic fertilizer is made up of organic biodegradable waste like animal excreta and agriculture wastes. As it biodegradable it cannot harm the environment and increase the soil fertility it is better than chemical fertilizer. But chemical fertilizers are nutrient specific and prepared in chemical factories. Thus, the correct answer is option C.