NCEA Level 1 Agricultural Science (90155) 2006 — page 1 of 5
Assessment Schedule – 2006
Agricultural Science: Describe management practices used in pasture / crop production
(90155)
Evidence Statement
Q
Evidence
1 (a)
(i)
Perennial pastures regrow each
year following growth and
seeding, whereas annual crops
complete their life-cycle (growth,
seeding and death) in one year.
Achievement
CODE
1 (a)
(ii)
Refers to time
difference.
A1
Because pastures regrow year
after year there is no need for
expensive cultivation of ground,
no costs associated with seed
purchase and drilling, and no
time-lag in developing pasture
mass for grazing.
Explanation refers to
the fact of no annual
establishment costs.
CODE
1 (b)
(i)
Nodules on the roots of legumes
house bacteria that are able to
convert nitrogen from the air into
soluble nitrate.
CODE
1 (b)
(ii)
The ability to fix nitrogen means
that there is less demand for the
expensive nitrogen fertilisers
needed to promote grass growth
in pastures, hence there is a
financial saving in milk
production costs.
CODE
Judgement
Merit
M1
Refers to nodules
and bacteria.
A1
Explanation refers to
how nitrogen fixation
reduces fertiliser
costs.
M1
Excellence
NCEA Level 1 Agricultural Science (90155) 2006 — page 2 of 5
Q
Evidence
1 (c)
(i)
1. Grasses have an upright
growth form, whereas white
clover has a prostrate growth
form meaning it grows
sideways along the ground.
Grasses shade out the clover,
therefore reduce growth or kill
it off.
Achievement
Judgement
Merit
Refers to either the
growth form (1) or
selective grazing (2)
which reduce
numbers of white
clover plants.
2. Stock will actively ‘pick out’
white clover plants rather
than grass plants because of
their higher palatability.
Persistent overgrazing of
white clover will result in
death of clover plants.
CODE
1 (c)
(ii)
Legumes such as white clover
have:
 high palatability
 high digestibility (80%)
 high protein content (20%).
Collectively these features mean
that therefore it has a high
nutritive value and is capable of
promoting high milk yield.
CODE
A1
Refers to how ONE
factor enhances the
nutritive value of
legumes / white
clover over other
pasture plants and
links this to improved
milk yield.
M1
Excellence
NCEA Level 1 Agricultural Science (90155) 2006 — page 3 of 5
Q
Evidence
2 (a)
(i)
Stage A
Traditional surface working
involving grubbing / discing
where plants may have been
chemically killed.
Stage B
Follows on from Stage A, with
the use of a Cambridge roller
designed to consolidate / firm the
seedbed prior to drilling seeds.
Achievement
CODE
2 (a)
(ii)
Stage A
 Kills off existing plant cover
that could compete with the
sown crop
Judgement
Merit
Refers to ONE
action taken to
produce the seedbed
shown.
A2
Explanation refers to
how the stage of
seedbed preparation
is vital for crop yield.
 At the same time, breaks up
soil structure so that sown
seeds will be in close contact
with soil particles for moisture,
thereby promoting germination
vital for high plant numbers.
 Aeration, and the return of
organic matter, will assist root
run and nutrient availability to
the crop.
Stage B
 Firm seedbed prevents seeds
from being sown too deep and
exhausting seed reserves
before seedlings reach the
surface. (A reduced number of
seedling plants will limit crop
yield.)
 Firming of soil containing
moisture means that seeds are
in contact with the moisture
necessary for germination and
eventually crop yield.
CODE
M2
Excellence
NCEA Level 1 Agricultural Science (90155) 2006 — page 4 of 5
Q
2 (b)
(i)
Evidence
Achievement
Visible signs of grass grub
infestation include:
Judgement
Merit
Refers to ONE sign.
 soil is spongy to walk on
 animals pulling out plants
when grazing.
 patches of dead grass
 colour, yellowing, brown
CODE
2 (b)
(ii)
A2
1. Heavy rolling will result in
squashing grubs – and
thereby killing them – but is
more likely to push plant roots
back in contact with soil,
therefore assisting their
survival.
2. Cultivation will expose grubs
to sunlight, desiccating them
– therefore killing them – or
expose them to birds which
readily eat them. Overall
result is a reduced grass grub
population.
Refers to how
selected method
either
(1) repairs damage
to plants or (2)
reduces numbers of
grass grubs.
CODE
2 (c)
(i)
(1) Part A
The farmer would apply the
fertiliser by plane or
helicopter to spread the
superphosphate by air.
AND
(2) Part B
Same as Part A, since
aircraft available
OR
because area is accessible
to wheeled traffic, the
farmer could apply by bulk
truck-spreader.
CODE
2 (c)
(ii)
Superphosphate is applied
primarily to stimulate clover
growth. If clovers are growing
well they will be able to fix
nitrogen in quantity, and nitrogen
is the major requirement for the
growth of associated grasses
which provide the bulk of pasture
production.
(Grasses have a phosphate
requirement but this is not the
major reason for the widespread
use of superphosphate.)
CODE
M2
States appropriate
actions for BOTH
parts.
A2
Refers to the links
between application
of superphosphate,
clover, nitrogenfixation, and grass
growth.
M2
Excellence
NCEA Level 1 Agricultural Science (90155) 2006 — page 5 of 5
Q
Evidence
2 (d)
(i)
Farmer would assess pasture cover
and determine appropriate stock
numbers accordingly to ensure the
pasture would be neither overgrazed
nor undergrazed.
Achievement
CODE
2 (d)
(ii)
Judgement
Merit
Excellence
Refers to pasture
growth AND
appropriate stock
numbers
A2
 Method ensures minimal
disturbance to stock, therefore
minimal mismothering. With less
mismothering, the lambs will have
greater access to milk, thereby
gaining weight faster.
Refers to how
system maximises
nutrient intake of
lambs for growth
purposes.
 Readily available leafy feed means
that maximum nutrient intake is
directed into milk production,
hence high nutrient intake by
lambs and therefore fast growth
rates.
CODE
3
M2
Selected practice: irrigating the
crop during the growth process.
Refers to how a
management
practice impacts on
crop-yield.
 Irrigation will impact favourably on
plant tissue growth via
photosynthesis and nutrient
uptake, and consequently on the
number of plants that will produce
a seed head, the number of seeds
per head and the weight of each
grain. Collectively this will result in
high yields of a quality crop.
Justifies the use of
irrigation during
the growth process
by explaining why
this practice is
more effective at
increasing cropyield than the other
two practices.
(Critical thinking is
to be the driver of
the award of
Excellence.)
 Doubling the seeding rate may
produce more plants capable of
producing a seed head, but
competition between plants will
stunt growth and limit the number
and size of seed heads.
 The use of a new combine
harvester may result in
improvement in harvesting
efficiency, but it is highly unlikely
that it would account for a 2-tonne
difference in yield. The nature of
the harvester will have no effect on
the number of seed heads and
seed head quality presented for
harvest.
CODE
M2
E
Judgement Statement
Achievement
Achievement with Merit
Achievement with Excellence
2 A1 + 3 A2
2 M1 + 3 M2
2 M1 + 3 M2 + 1 E