Question 4
(a) Discuss the cultivation of banana under the following headings:
(i) soil requirement;
(ii) land preparation;
(iii) method of propagation;
(iv) fertilizer requirement;
(v) two pests;
(vi) twodiseases;
(vii) harvesting. (9 marks)
(b) State five advantages of artificial incubation of eggs. (5 marks)
(c) Mention four methods of vegetative propagation. (4 marks)
Observation
Question 4 was quite popular among candidates and marks were above average.
Although most candidates were able to discuss the cultivation of banana, many of
them were unable to state the advantages of artificial incubation of eggs as well as
mention the methods of vegetative propagation.
The expected answers include:
(a) Discussion on the cultivation of banana
(i) Soil requirement
- Well drained sandy loam/clay loam/loamy soil
- Thrives on neutral/alkaline soil
(ii) Land preparation
- Clear the land
- Stump
- Plough
- Harrow
(iii) Method of propagation
- Sucker - Tissue culture seedlings
- Bits/corm - Peeper
- Rhizome - Vegetative/asexual
(iv) Fertilizer requirement
- NPK - Urea
- Organic manure/farmyard manure/compost
(v) Pests of banana
- Stem borer - Banana weevil
- Rat - Aphid
- Primates e.g. monkey, baboon - Nematode
- Beetle
(vi) Diseases
- Panama disease - Crown rot
- Sigatoka/Leaf spot - Fruit speckle
- Anthracnose - Bunchy top
- Leaf rust
(vii) Harvesting
- Fruits are ready for harvesting from 9-12 months after planting
- Harvesting is done by using cutlass/knife to cut the bunch from the tree
(b) Advantages of artificial incubation of eggs
- Ensures high hatchability of eggs
- Eliminates infertile eggs through candling
- Requires less space
- Reduces pest infestation
- Increases farmer’s profit
- Makes it possible to hatch a large number of eggs at a time
- Ensures continuous supply of day old chicks
(c) Methods of vegetative propagation
- Budding - Layering- Sucker
- Grafting - Cutting - Bulb
- Rhizome - Runner/stolon - Corm
- Tuber - Tissue culture