(a) List four cereal crops grown in West Africa [2marks]
(b) State three benefits of forest to the economic development of your country.[3marks]
(c) With the aid of a diagram, describe the life cycle of the variegated grasshopper. [6marks]
(d) List three cultural methods of controlling crop pests.[3marks]
(e) Give two uses of oil palm. [2marks]
Explanation
(a)Cereal crops grown in West Africa
- Rice
- Maize-Sorghum/Guinea corn
- Millet
- Acha/hungry rice
- Wheat
(b)Benefits of forests to the economic development of a country
- Source of income to rural people
- For research/educational purposes
- Source of revenue to the government
- Purification of air
- Beautification of the environment
- Tourist attraction
- Source of raw materials for industries such as gum and latex
- Checks soil erosion
- Source of food
- Sources of fuel wood
- Controls flood
- Serves as wind breaks
- Provides employment
- Checks desertification
- Source of medicinal herbs
- Induces rainfall/modifies the micro climate
- Protects water bodies/water shed
- Produces timber used for construction
- canoes, furniture etc
(c) Description of the life cycle of the variegated grasshopper
Diagram of life cycle
Description
- The female lays eggs inside the soil around April
- These hatch into nymphs around October and during the 4th instar stage. they migrate into the farm and continue to feed on cassava leaves up to the adult stage.
- The cycle has no pupal stage (incomplete metamorphosis/wingless nymphs)
- The early stages of nymphs may feed on other shrubs such as Chromolaena spp. (Siam weed) as alternative host and continue until they come in contact with a cassava farm
(d)Cultural methods of controlling crop pests
- Crop rotation
- Proper and timely weeding
- Good spacing of crops
- Drainage
- Pruning of diseased parts of plant Planting pest free crops
- Proper tillage operations
- Timely planting
- Timely harvesting Burning crop residues
- Flooding
- Mulching
- Planting pest tolerant varieties of crop
(e)Uses of oil palm
- Production of palm oil
- Production of palm kernel oil
- Production of palm kernel cake
- Making of brooms Making of foot mats
- Trunk for construction