agricultural and horticultural studies
TRANSCRIPT
AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL STUDIES
Written examination
Wednesday 11 November 2020 Reading time: 11.45 am to 12.00 noon (15 minutes) Writing time: 12.00 noon to 1.30 pm (1 hour 30 minutes)
QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK
Structure of bookNumber of questions
Number of questions to be answered
Number of marks
10 10 100
• Studentsarepermittedtobringintotheexaminationroom:pens,pencils,highlighters,erasers,sharpenersandrulers.
• StudentsareNOTpermittedtobringintotheexaminationroom:blanksheetsofpaperand/orcorrectionfluid/tape.
• Nocalculatorisallowedinthisexamination.
Materials supplied• Questionandanswerbookof17pages
Instructions• Writeyourstudent numberinthespaceprovidedaboveonthispage.• AllwrittenresponsesmustbeinEnglish.
Students are NOT permitted to bring mobile phones and/or any other unauthorised electronic devices into the examination room.
©VICTORIANCURRICULUMANDASSESSMENTAUTHORITY2020
SUPERVISOR TO ATTACH PROCESSING LABEL HEREVictorian Certificate of Education 2020
STUDENT NUMBER
Letter
2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM 2
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Question 1–continued
InstructionsAnswerallquestionsinthespacesprovided.
Question 1 (11marks)Victoria’sfoodandfibreindustriesfaceseveralcommonchallengesthatmustbeovercomeinordertoensurethatanimalwelfare,sustainableproductionandbiosecuritystandardsaremet.
a. Ahorticulturistisproducinggerberas(atypeofcutflower)inaglasshouse.Tocontrolaphids,thehorticulturistissprayingsulfur(achemical)ontheplantsonceaweek.Thehorticulturistisconcernedaboutthehealthimpactsofthispracticeonworkers.
Suggestonenon-chemicaloptionthatcouldbeusedtocontrolaphidsaspartofintegrativepestmanagementanddiscussthesustainabilityofthisoption. 3marks
3 2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM
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b. Identifythreedimensionsofsustainabilityoffoodandfibreproduction.Provideoneexampleofhoweachdimensionrelatestofoodand/orfibreproduction. 6marks
Dimension1
Example
Dimension2
Example
Dimension3
Example
c. Avendordeclarationmustbeprovidedbyaselleroflivestock.
Explaintheroleofavendordeclarationinnationalfarmbiosecurity. 2marks
2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM 4
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Question 2 (5marks)a. Describeacurrentagriculturalorhorticulturalpropertymanagementpracticethatyouhavestudied
thisyearthataimstomitigatetheeffectsofclimatechange. 2marks
b. Evaluateoneproposedsolutionofthispropertymanagementpracticeintermsofmakingtheeffectsofclimatechangelesssevere. 3marks
5 2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM
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Question 3 (7marks)SammanagesahoneyfarminVictoriawithover200beecoloniesthatproduceover10000tonnesofhoneyeachyear.Samisworriedaboutonepest–varroamite–thatcurrentlyexistsinothercountriesandcouldposeasignificantthreattohisbeecolonies.Thevarroamitereducesthelifeexpectancyofhoneybees,whichcontributestocolonycollapseandareductioninhoneyproduction.Ifthevarroamiteisdetectedinbeecolonies,theagriculturaldepartmentwilldestroythispestbydestroyingthebeecolonies.Inresponse,Samisconsideringusingatypeofnewandemergingtechnology–geneticallymodifiedbacteria–asacontrolforthispest.However,therearesomeconcernsthatthesegeneticallymodifiedbacteriamayhaveanimpactonnativebees.
a. Theuseofgeneticallymodifiedbacteriaisseenasaninnovativeapproachtothisbiosecuritythreat.
Referencingpastinitiativesusedtomanagethreats,evaluatetheimpactofusinggeneticallymodifiedbacteriaonthehoneyindustryinAustralia. 4marks
b. JustifySam’swillingnesstousegeneticallymodifiedbacteriatocontrolthispest,takingintoaccountconsumerdemandforethicalandsustainablefoodproductioninAustralia. 3marks
2020 AG&HORT STUDIES EXAM 6
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Question 4 (7 marks)Choose one type of business within the food or fibre industries that you have studied this year or are familiar with.
Type of business
a. Identify three different sustainability practices that this type of business uses within its production. 3 marks
1.
2.
3.
b. Identify one business practice used by this type of business and discuss its ethical considerations. 4 marks
7 2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM
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Question 5 (9marks)
Victoria’spresentsalinityproblemshaveresultedlargelyfromhumanactivities,which,inthebriefperiodsinceEuropeansettlement,havemodifiedthenaturaldistributionofsaltinthelandscape.Thereasonformostsalinityproblemsofsoilandwaterhasbeenariseinthelevelofsalinewatertables,bringingsalttothesurface.…AftertheSecondWorldWar…therewasagreatdemandfortimberforhousingandconstructionprojects.Over300sawmillsopenedtomeetthedemandfortimber.Removalofthedeep-rootednativetreesandgrassesandthedevelopmentofirrigationprojectshaveallowedmorewatertomoveintothesoil,raisingthegroundwaterlevel.
Source:PDixon,HAndersonandDCummings,‘Salinityexplained’,informationnote,AgricultureVictoria,notenumber:LC0082,December1999;TheStateofVictoria,1996–2020
AcurrentexampleofenvironmentaldegradationisincreasingsalinitylevelsintheMurrayRivervalley,alongtheVictorianandNewSouthWalesstateborder.Thishasmadeformerlyproductivefieldsunusableforgrowingcropsandhasreducednativevegetationalongtheriver.
a. Identifythetwo maincausesofsalinityinagriculturalandhorticulturalsystems. 2marks
b. Chooseoneofthecausesofsalinityidentifiedinpart a.
Causeofsalinity
i. Proposeoneactionthatcouldbetakentoslowortopreventthiscauseofsalinityfromhavinganimpactonfoodandfibreproduction. 1mark
ii. Describehowthisactionwouldbeimplementedtocontrolsalinitylevels. 2marks
c. Explaintwowaysinwhichafarmercanmonitorsalinitylevelsovertime. 4marks
2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM 8
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THIS PAGE IS BLANK
9 2020 AG&HORT STUDIES EXAM
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Question 6 – continued TURN OVER
Question 6 (15 marks)The diagrams below show a common pest and an organism that causes a common disease, both of which affect sheep, goats and other farm animals.
head
body/digestive tract
tail
×1000
Black scour intestinal worm, 10–20 cm female Footrot bacterium, microscopic view
a. Describe one difference between the black scour intestinal worm and the footrot bacterium shown above. 2 marks
b. Identify two similarities between the black scour intestinal worm and the footrot bacterium shown above. 2 marks
2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM 10
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Question 6–continued
c. i. Explainhowtheblackscourintestinalwormwouldaffectthehost. 3marks
ii. Describeanintegratedpestmanagementplanfortheblackscourintestinalworm.Youranswershouldincludemanagementstrategies,andplanningandpreventionmeasures. 6marks
11 2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM
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iii. Climatechangeaffectsthelevelsofpestanddisease.
Explainhowwarmerconditionsmayhaveanimpactontheintegratedpestmanagementplandescribedinpart c.ii.fortheblackscourintestinalworm. 2marks
2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM 12
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Question 7–continued
Question 7 (14marks)Igorrunsa100haorchardincentralVictoria.ThelocalagronomistsuggeststoIgorthatanewlyreleasedherbicidewillprovidebetterweedcontrolthanthechemicalheiscurrentlyusing.Igordesignsatrialtocomparetheeffectivenessofthechemicalheiscurrentlyusingtocontrolweeds,ChemicalA,withthenewchemicalsuggestedbytheagronomist,ChemicalB.TheresultsofIgor’strialareshowninTable1below.
Table 1. Percentage effectiveness of Chemical A and Chemical B within trial plots
Trial plot 1 2 3 4 5
Chemical A 86% 87% 45% 92% 78%
Chemical B 75% 72% 76% 71% 75%
No treatment 0% 3% 2% 0% 0%
a. Outlinethepurposeofthe‘notreatment’trialplots. 1mark
b. ShouldIgorbeconcernedaboutanyoftheresultsinthetableabove?Giveyourreasoning. 3marks
c. SuggesttwowaysbywhichIgormightimprovetheaccuracyofhisresultsifheconductedthetrialagain. 2marks
13 2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM
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d. Suggesttwosafetyprecautionsthatshouldbetakenwhenapplyingchemicals. 2marks
e. IgordecidestouseChemicalAtocontrolwildradish.
Outlinea12-monthintegratedweedmanagementprogramIgorcouldimplementinsteadofonlyusingChemicalAtocontrolthisweedonhisproperty. 4marks
f. Explaintheproblemsthatcanresultfromusingonlychemicalsasaprimarycontrolofweeds. 2marks
2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM 14
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Question 8–continued
Question 8 (15marks)TheJohnsonfamilyrunsa45habiodynamicfarmproducingeggsonpasture,andfree-rangeporkandlamb.Thefamilylives40kmfromamajorcitycentre.Untilrecently,mostofthefamily’sbusinessinvolvedsellingtorestaurantsandcafes.Thefamilyhasdiversifiedbydevelopingawebsiteadvertisingplatformtotrytogrowitsbusinessthroughdirectcustomersales.Thefamilyhasfoundthatmostofitscustomersarenowpeoplewhotravelfromthecitytopurchasefromthefarm.
a. Identifyonestrengthandoneweaknessofdirectcustomerrelationshipsforsmallfarms. 2marks
b. Consideringtheexistingproduceofthefarm,suggestonevalue-addedproductthatcouldbeincludedintherange.Justifyyouranswer. 3marks
c. Aneighbourbelievesthatthefamily’smarketingapproachcouldincreasethecarbonfootprintoftheproduce.
Discussthecarbonfootprintimplicationsofsmallfarmgatesales. 3marks
15 2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM
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d. Identifytwoissuesoffoodprovenancethatwouldleadtoaninterestinfarmgatesales. 2marks
e. Describeoneconcernthefamilywouldneedtoconsiderinordertoupholdbiosecuritywhenoperatingfarmgatesales. 2marks
f. Identifyone occupationalhealthandsafetyriskrelatedtofarmgatesalesandexplainhowthisriskmayarise. 3marks
2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM 16
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Question 9 (10marks)Aplumorchardistisirrigatingacropbysprinkleratthebaseofeachtree.Theorchardistisconcernedabouttheincreasingcostofwater.Theorchardistalsonoticesthatthereissignificantrun-offafterirrigationandthiswaterhasbeenenteringaneighbouringproperty.
a. Outlineonealternativeirrigationpracticetoreducewatercostsandrun-off. 2marks
b. Describetwoadvantagesofthisalternativeirrigationpracticefortheorchardist. 4marks
c. Discussonepossibleeconomicissuefortheorchardistiftheyswitchtoanewmethodofirrigation. 4marks
17 2020AG&HORTSTUDIESEXAM
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Question 10 (7marks)Theintroductionofgeneticallymodifiedorganisms(GMOs)inthefoodandfibreindustriesisexpectedtobenefitAustraliangrowers.However,therearedifferentpointsofview,bothforandagainst,abouttheuseofGMOsintheseindustries.Chooseonefoodorfibreindustry,otherthanthehoneyindustry,thatyouhavestudiedthisyearorarefamiliarwith,whichutilisesGMOtechniques.
Foodorfibreindustry
a. IdentifyoneissuethatconsumersmaybeconcernedaboutwhenpurchasingproductscontainingGMOs. 1mark
b. ExplainhowthespecificuseofGMOsbenefitsthefoodorfibreindustrythatyouhavechosen. 3marks
c. DiscussonepotentialimpactontheenvironmentofusingGMOswithinthisfoodorfibreindustry. 3marks
END OF QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK