KWIMA JOINT EXAMINATIONS

COUNCIL
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
FORM 4 PRE-KCSE EXAMINATION-JULY 2025

443/1 AGRICULTURE Paper 1

MARKING SCHEME

1. It entails

- Tilling of land
- Measuring distance
- Machine operation
- Construction of farm structure.
- Harvesting of crop.
- Feeding and handling of animals.
- Marketing of agriculture produce (Any 2x 1 mk = 2mks)
2.i)No individual has responsibility of taking care of the land or developing it.

ii) farmers have no Incentives to manage and develop the land well or investment on permanent
development projects.

iii) poor yields because of overcrowding and poor animal yields couple with livestock death
especially during drought.

iv) Poor stock breeding programme because the animals mix indiscriminately which leads to
random mating and controlled breeding

v) soil erosion and land denudation due to land occupants tending to overstock the land thus
causing (Any 2 correctly explained x 0.5mk= 1mk)

3. i) Superflous water.
ii) Capillarity water.
iii) hygroscopic water (3x0.5 mk = 1.5mks)
4.i) Nappier grass is harvested by cutting using a sharp panga and fed to animals.
ii) Can be dried and can used as mulching material. (2 x 0.5mk = 1mk)
5. i) Development of swells/galls.

1
 ii) wilting because of blockage of xylem vessels by galls. (1mk) (2x 0.5mk = 1mk)

6. -Chlorine to control waterborne diseases.

-Soda ash to soften water.

-Alum –coagulates solids.

(Any two correct x 0.5mk = 1mk)

7.(a) 21 kg N is contained in 100kg CN.

210 kgs CAN supplies.

21 KgN x210Kgs CAN

100 Kgs CAN

44.1 Kgs N
(Method = 1mk
Answer = 1mk total =2mks)

b) Fertilizer grade – Indicates the amount of each nutrient contained in a fertilizer.

Fertilizer ratio relative propotions of the three primary macro-nutrients (NPK)

(clear difference between the terms = 2mk

N/B Award no mark if one term is only defined)

8.

● Pests
● Parasites.
● Decomposers.
● Pathogens.
● Predators.
● Pollinators.
● Nitrogen fixing bacteria
( Any four correct each 0.5 mk = 2mks)

9. a) - To give vegetation enough time to dry and decompose into organic matter.

- Allows Co2 and other gases to diffuse out of the soil while being replaced with oxygen
which is important for seed germination.

- Give enough time to other subsequent operation to be done.

- Give way to early planting

(0.5 mk x 4 =2mks)

2
 b) -to expose soil-borne pests and diseases to fatal sun rays
- incorporate organic matter into the soil
- to facilitate breaking of soil clods and hardpans
- to enhance soil infiltration
- to facilitate deep root penetration of the crops
( Any 4 correct x 0.5 mk = 2mks)
10 - Irrigation.
- Tsetsefly control
- Draining of excess water
- Terrace construction
( Any two correct each 1mk = 2mks)
11 i) Spacious between rows. ( 1x1mk = 1mk)

ii) Plant population =Spacing of crops.

Area of land = 400x300cm = 120,000

Spacing = 75x25

120,00
1875 =64plants
( method = 2mks
Answer = 1mk, total = 3mks)
12. - Aphids.
- White flies.
- Mealy bug.
- Nematodes.
- Mites.
(any two correct each award 0.5 mk = 2mks)
13. a) The replacement of old bearing stems by suckers.
(1 x 1mk = 1mks)
b) - Used to establish pathogen free plants in control of viral diseases.
- Used in mass production of propagules.
- It is fast and requires less space than cultural methods of using cutting .
( two correct points each 0.5 mk = 1mk)
14. They have high nitrogen content . (1 x 1mk = 1mk)
15 i) The forgone aturns/Returns from best alternative forgone
(1x 1mk = 1mk)
ii) Maize which earns 20,000 Shs.
(1x 1mk = 1mk)

3
16. - Use of certified seeds.
- Early planting.
- Uprooting affected plants.
( 3 x 0.5 each = 1.5mks)

SECTION B
SECTION B (20 MARKS)

17.

Variable Average product(maize in Marginal product m.p in 90kg

input 90kg bag bags
fertilizers

0 0 2

1 5 3

2 7 9

3 7 7

4 6.5 5

18. the diagrams below illustrate irish potato seed preparation before planting. Study it
carefully and answer the questions that follow.

a) Name the practice used in preparing the seed potato above before planting. (1mk)
Chitting/sprouting
b) Describe the procedure followed in preparing the seed potatoes for planting. (3mks)
-Arrange the setts/tubers in a store/ chitting box with the rose ends facing upwards.
-Tubers are arranged 2 to 3 layers deep

4
 -Allow diffused light through the store. This encourages the production of short, green
and healthy sprouts.
-Dust/ spray the setts/tubers with an appropriate insecticide to control aphids, tuber
moths.
-Sprinkle some water on the tubers if the conditions are dry.
c) Give one reason for carrying out the practice named above. (1mk)
It ensures uniform sprouting /establishment in the field after planting.

19. The photograph below shows an irish potato plant attacked by a disease. Study it and
answer the questions that follow.

a) Identify the disease represented by the photograph. (1mk)

Late blight
b) Name the causative agent of the diseases. (1mk)
Fungus/ Phytophthora infestans
c) Give one other crop that can be attacked by the same disease. (1mk)
TomatoeS
d) List two control measures of the disease. (2mks)
-Spraying with appropriate fungicides.
-Crop rotation.
-Use of certified seeds
-Roguing
20. The photographs below show common weeds C and D in pasture land. Study them
carefully and answer the questions that follow.

5
 C D

a) Identify weeds C and D. (2mks)

C- Thorn apple/ Datura stramonium D- Mexican marigold / Tagetes minuta
b) Classify weed D according to plant morphology. (1mk)
Broad leafed.
c) State the major problem posed by each of the weeds above in pasture land. (2mks)
C-Poisonous to livestock.
D-It taints milk when fed to lactating cows.

SECTION C
21. a)
- Timely planting- Early planting makes crop escape pest attack e stalk borer.
- Timely harvesting- storage pests may attack crop in the field e.g. weevils.
- Proper Tillage- field cultivation exposes pests which are soil borne e.g. white grubs, scorched
by soln.
- Close season- planting of crops in a certain season to avoid pest attack cotton Bollworm
- Trap cropping- plant a crop and destroy once attacked by pests
- Crop rotation- Alternate crops which are attacked by different types of pests eg Groundnuts
and potatoes attacked by Nematodes with maize and beans
- Plant resistant varieties- breeder develops breeds which are resistant to some diseases. e.g.
goose necked sorghum against Bird pests.
- Field Hygiene- keeps the field free from pests. Removal of infected plants from the field.
- Destruction of alternate hosts- some weeds act as alternate hosts for pests.
- Crop nutrition - makes crops strong and resistant to pests 1 × 10 (10mks)
b)
- Use of soil moisture- crops will use the available moisture in the soil.
- Soil Nutrients- plants will benefit from the Nitrogen Flush
- Market prices- Early planting will make the produce benefit from the early market prices.
- Pests and diseases- Early planting makes the crops escape the pests and diseases which are
soil borne
- Crops vigour- Early planting enable the crops to growth with vigor(strong and uniform)
- Timely harvesting- Early planting makes harvesting take place early
State 1 mk Explain 1 mk ( 10mks )
22. a)
- Measurement of land to establish sizes by recommended surveyors
- Description of land- shows its location
- Recording and mapping of land in the land registry. 1×5 ( 5mks )
- Resolving any objections if raised
- Submission of the records for registration
b. Issuing of the land title Deed Reasons for carrying out minimum tillage
 To maintain soil structure

6
  To conserve soil moisture
 Prevent humus exposure
 Prevent root disturbance
 Control soil erosion
 Reduce cost of cultivation
6× 1= 6 marks
c. Ways soil lose fertility
 Leaching – nutrients carried to lower zones by infiltrating water leads to loss
of fertility.
 Soil erosion – carrying away of top fertile soils by erosion agents loss of soil
fertility.
 Mono cropping – growing one crop continuously on the same piece of land
results in exhaustion of nutrients thus loss of soil fertility.
 Continuous cropping – harvested crops remove large amounts of nutrients
from the soil which makes soil deficient of this nutrients.
 Burning vegetation cover- burning destroys organic matter and soil structure.
 Change in soil pH – due to use of fertilisers leads to change in soil pH thus
affect activity of microorganisms.
(First 4; mention 1 mark, well explained 1 mark)
4 ×2= 8 marks.

23. A.Field management practices in tomatoes

 Gapping
 Topdressing
 Weeding
 Staking
b.Factors that determine water requirements in an animal’s body
 Ambient temperature
 Type of feed eaten by animal
 Level of production
 Body size
 Species of the animal
 Amount of work
5×1= 5 marks
c.Transplanting tree seedlings
 Dig holes for transplanting
 Transplant at onset of rains
 Water the seedlings a day before transplanting
 Place seedlings at the centre of the hole
 Cut and remove polythene sleeve using a sharp knife
 Add soil around the tree until the hole is filled completely
 Firm the soil gently around the tree seedling
 Plant at the same depth as it was in the nursery.

7
 Change in soil pH – due to use of fertilisers leads to change in soil pH thus
affect activity of microorganisms.
(First 4; mention 1 mark, well explained 1 mark)
4 ×2= 8 marks.

 Pest control
 Disease control
7×1 = 7 marks

THIS IS THE LAST PRINTED PAGE