MAASAI MARA UNIVERSITY
REGULAR UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS 2013/2014 ACADEMIC YEAR
SECOND YEAR FIRST SEMESTER
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
COURSE CODE: AGR 271
COURSE TITLE: INTRODUCTION TO SOIL SCIENCE
DATE:16TH APRIL 2014 TIME: 2.00PM – 5.00PM
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Question ONE is compulsory
Answer any other THREE questions
Question one
a) What is soil? (5 Marks)
b) Describe the process of soil formation and elaborate the agents of soil formation. (10 Marks)
c) Briefly explain factors that influence the rate of weathering (10 Marks)
Question two
a) What is soil profile? (5 Marks)
b) State five horizons of soil profile and describe the distinct characteristic of each. (5 Marks)
c) Discuss the main components of the soil and state their importance in crop productions. (5 Marks)
Question Three
a) What are two main properties of the soil? (5Marks)
b) What is soil structure? state the four types of soil structure and give four unique characteristic of each. (5Marks)
c) Explain the importance of soil structure in crop production (5 Marks)
Question Four
a) What is soil texture? list four main soil particles (5 Marks)
b) Describe three main categories of soil and state their characteristics.
(10 Marks)
Question Five
a) What is Soil pH? (5 Marks)
b) Describe the effects of soil pH in crop production. (10 Marks)
Question Six
a) What is soil testing (5 Marks)
b) Describe soil sampling procedure and list five site in the farm to avoid in the process. (10marks)
