R2113 UNDERSTANDING THE PRODUCTION OF OUTDOOR VEGETABLES & FRUIT

Transcription

1 Including Examiners comments R211 UNDERSTANDING THE PRODUCTION OF OUTDOOR VEGETABLES & FRUIT Level 2 Tuesday 7 February :0 1:20 Written Examination Candidate Number: Candidate Name: Centre Number/Name:.. IMPORTANT Please read carefully before commencing: i) The duration of this paper is 50 minutes; ii) iii) iv) ALL questions should be attempted; EACH question carries 10 marks; Write your answers legibly in the lined space provided. It is NOT necessary that all lined space is used in answering the questions; v) Use METRIC measurements only; vi) vii) viii) Use black or blue ink only. Pencil can be used for drawing purposes only; Where plant names are required, they should include genus, species and where appropriate, cultivar; Where a question requires a specific number of answers; only the first answers given that meet the question requirement will be accepted, regardless of the number of answers offered; ix) Please note, when the word distinct is used within a question, it means that the items have different characteristics or features. Ofqual Unit Code A/601/026 1 Please turn over/..

2 Q1 ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS State how EACH of the following factors affect the selection of a site for outdoor food production, by completing the table below. Factor Selection Soil texture Drainage Area of land available Total Mark Please see over/.. 2

3 Q2 a) Describe EACH of the following soil cultivation techniques suitable for use in a vegetable garden: i) consolidation; ii) tilth production. i).. ii). Describe the propagation method of direct sowing vegetable crops. Total Mark Please turn over/..

4 Q a) Describe the production of a NAMED crop of radish under EACH of the following headings: i) sowing; ii) thinning. 1 2 Named crop i) ii) State how intercropping can be used to maximise crop production Total Mark.. Please see over/..

5 Q a) Describe a four-bed system of crop rotation, with the use of a clearly labelled table. State THREE benefits and THREE limitations of crop rotation. 6 Total Mark Please turn over/.. 5

6 Q5 a) State what is meant by the following terms, giving ONE NAMED example of each: i) top fruit; ii) soft fruit. i) ii).. Describe a NAMED training system suitable for a NAMED top fruit. Total Mark.... Please see over/.. 6

7 Q6 a) State for EACH of the soft fruits listed: i) a NAMED cultivar; ii) the fruit type; by completing the table below. Named Cultivar Fruit Type Gooseberries 1.5 Blackcurrants 1.5 Grapes 1.5 Raspberries 1.5 Describe the symptoms and control measures of a NAMED pest of blackcurrants.... ******* 7 Total Mark

8 These questions are the property of the Royal Horticultural Society. They must not be reproduced or sold. The Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU2 6QB. Charity Registration Number: /SC

9 R211 UNDERSTANDING THE PRODUCTION OF OUTDOOR VEGETABLES & FRUIT Level 2 Tuesday 7 February 2017 Candidates Registered 58 Total Candidates Passed % Candidates Entered % Passed with Commendation % Candidates Absent/Withdrawn % Passed % Candidates Deferred 8 2.2% Failed % Senior Examiner s Comments: 1 Candidates should be able to demonstrate a good range of plant knowledge and be able to give accurately named plant examples where appropriate. Common names and generic names are often too vague and cannot be rewarded in the positive manner that genus, species and where appropriate, variety/cultivar can. This is particularly important when answering questions relating to particular (named) plant(s). Marks can only be awarded for these narratives where the example(s) are correctly and fully identified. 2 Candidates must be able to display accurate knowledge of the technical terms and concepts detailed in the syllabus, in the context of horticulture and also be aware that wider interpretation will not be rewarded. The examination should be regarded as a possible introduction to higher level studies, which will only be open to those who are in possession of a clear understanding of the horticultural terms and concepts which are current. The introductory rubric given on the first page of each question paper should be read carefully by candidates. At each examination there are a significant number of candidates who ignore or misread the instructions given and consequently may not perform as well as they could have done. 9

10 Candidates should pace themselves during each paper. The most successful candidates allow sufficient time to read the question thoroughly before answering it and also take time to read through their answers. They should take care to write as legibly as possible, so that the examiner is in no doubt about what is intended. 5 Candidates need to interpret key words within questions, particularly those such as state, list and describe. Questions requiring descriptions or explanations obviously require a more detailed answer than those requiring a list. 6 It is important to ensure that responses to questions are to the point. Candidates should bear in mind that small sketches might be used to convey information more succinctly than words. 7 Successful candidates ensure that their answers are focused and to the point. It is disappointing when they cannot be rewarded for their efforts because the answer is irrelevant to the particular question. Candidates should take note of the mark allocation for specific sections and allocate their time and efforts accordingly. 8 Diagrams can enhance an answer and where appropriate can replace detailed descriptions. They should be large, clear and well annotated, ensuring that labels are properly attached to the features they describe. Diagrams should preferably be in pencil. Colour may be used successfully but only where it is relevant to the answer. 9 In each examination it is clear that some candidates are ill prepared to answer papers of the type set. It is essential that candidates have the opportunity to practice questions. Ideally some papers should be answered in a time constrained situation. Appropriate feedback must, in any case be provided. 10

11 Q1 State how EACH of the following factors affect the selection of a site for outdoor food production, by completing the table below. Factor Soil texture Drainage Area of land 1. available 2.. Selection Q1) Candidates who stated how specific factors affected the selection of a site for outdoor food production gained full marks. These included: Soil Texture Sandy soils warm up quickly in spring. Sandy soils are good for root crops. Sandy soils have poor moisture retention. Clay soils are nutrient rich. Clay soils are good for growing brassicas. Loam soils are ideal for growing a range of crops. Candidates who confused soil structure with soil texture could not be awarded any marks. Drainage Sandy soils may be too free draining and lead to crop desiccation. Sandy soils require the addition of bulky organic matter to retain moisture and prevent the leaching of nutrients. Clay soils are prone to waterlogging. Clay soils may require a full drainage system to overcome waterlogging. Poor drainage/waterlogging may cause anaerobic conditions and lead to crown/root rot. Area of land available A small area of land will limit the choice of crops that can be grown. A small area of land will make rotation of crops more difficult but suitable for raised beds. A large area of land is more suitable to crop rotation. A large area of land will enable machinery to be used. A large area of land could include permanent crops e.g. top fruit and asparagus. 11

12 Q2 a) Describe EACH of the following soil cultivation techniques suitable for use in a vegetable garden: i) consolidation; ii) tilth production. Describe the propagation method of direct sowing vegetable crops. Q2a) The majority of candidates were able to describe specific soil cultivation techniques suitable for use in a vegetable garden, and gained maximum marks. Acceptable answers included: i) Consolidation is carried out by lightly treading the soil surface with the heels of feet/boot or by tamping down the soil with the reversed head of a garden rake. This is carried out to remove air pockets. Consolidation is not carried out when the soil is wet, to avoid compaction. ii) Tilth Production is carried by raking, using a garden or landscape rake previously consolidated soil which is level. The surface is raked in several directions to break up any clods and to remove large stones. The aim is to produce a friable soil surface with a fine crumb structure. Q2 Candidates who described in detail a suitable method of direct sowing vegetable crops gained full marks. These included: A taut garden line is inserted into soil which has been raked level prior to sowing. A V shaped drill is drawn using a draw hoe to a suitable depth for the seed being sown and the base watered. Small/fine seed is sown thinly along the drill or large seed can be station sown. The drill is covered with soil and watered. 12

13 Q a) Describe the production of a NAMED crop of radish under EACH of the following headings: i) sowing; ii) thinning. 1 2 State how intercropping can be used to maximise crop production. Qa) Candidates who were able to describe the production of radish were awarded full marks. Suitable answers included: i) Sowing of Radish French Breakfast is carried out from March to September in drills 1-2cm deep and 10-15cm apart. Early and late sowings can be covered with a cloche or fleece. The drills should be watered before sowing. Radish can be successional sown in short rows as they grow fast. ii) Thinning of radish is carried out to prevent spindly growth and to allow the roots to develop. Radish are thinned to cm apart by carefully pulling up unwanted plants by the foliage causing minimal disturbance to the remaining crop. Q Most candidates stated that intercropping is when a fast maturing crop, e.g. radish, is sown/planted between rows of a slow maturing crop, e.g. parsnip. The fast maturing crop is harvested before the slower one matures and requires the space. This method maximises the space available for crop production, water use, fertiliser use and use of the root zone. It is an ideal method for small vegetable plots. 1

14 Q a) Describe a four-bed system of crop rotation, with the use of a clearly labelled table. State THREE benefits and THREE limitations of crop rotation. 6 Qa) To gain full marks candidates were required to describe a four-bed system of crop rotation. The best answers included a table showing which crops are grown in which bed each year, e.g. Section Year 1 Year 2 Year Year 1 Legumes Brassicas Potatoes Onions and Roots 2 Brassicas Potatoes Onions and Roots Legumes Potatoes Onions and Roots Legumes Brassicas Onions and Roots Legumes Brassicas Potatoes Q The majority of candidates were able to state the benefits and limitations of crop rotation and were awarded full marks. Acceptable answers included: Benefits Reduces/limits soil borne pests and diseases. Enables crops e.g. brassicas to benefit from nitrogen fixed by legumes. Enables specific soil preparation to be carried out for individual crops. Avoids a build-up of specific weeds. Limitations Difficult to include permanent crops. Difficult to implement in small areas. Not effective for the control of long term soil borne pests and diseases e.g. eelworm and white rot of onion. The same area of land may not be required for each crop. 1

15 Q5 a) State what is meant by the following terms, giving ONE NAMED example of each: i) top fruit; ii) soft fruit. Describe a NAMED training system suitable for a NAMED top fruit. Q5a) Candidates gained maximum marks by stating the meaning of top fruit and soft fruit for named examples. Suitable answers included: i) Top Fruit, e.g. Apple Egremont Russet, is fruit that grows on a tree which are normally grafted onto specific rootstocks and are long lived. They can be trained/restricted for small spaces and the majority of them require a pollinator as they are not self-fertile. ii) Soft Fruit is fruit that grows on a bush, e.g. Blackcurrant Baldwin, cane or low growing perennial and is short lived. Soft fruit are usually grown on their own roots and are self-pollinating. Some soft fruit require a specific support system, e.g. raspberries. Q5 A range of named training systems were described by the best candidates who were awarded full marks. Acceptable answers included: Standard, Cordon, Espalier, Fan, Stepover. Cordon, e.g. Apple James Grieve. Single stemmed trees are grown as oblique cordons at an angle of 5º, to encourage heavier fruiting. They are grown against a wall or a fence with a wire framework for support. Cordons are grown to a height of 1.8m which gives a stem length of 2.m. 15

16 Q6 a) State for EACH of the soft fruits listed: i) a NAMED cultivar; ii) the fruit type; by completing the table below. Named Cultivar Fruit Type Gooseberries Blackcurrants Grapes Raspberries Describe the symptoms and control measures of a NAMED pest of blackcurrants. Q6a) Candidates who were able to name a cultivar and the type of fruit for each of the soft fruits gained full marks. Suitable answers included: Named Cultivar Fruit Type Gooseberries Invicta Bush Blackcurrants Ben Hope Bush Grapes Brandt Vine Raspberries Autumn Bliss Cane Candidates who gave botanical terms for fruit types could not be awarded any marks. Q6 Most candidates described the symptoms and control measures of a pest of blackcurrants well, and gained full marks. Acceptable answers included: Big Bud Mite causes the buds to become abnormally enlarged during the winter period which fail to develop into shoots/leaves. There is no chemical control available. Infected buds can be removed in late winter and badly infected bushes must be dug up and burnt in late winter. Plant resistant cultivars, e.g. Ben Hope, in autumn. Blackbirds and Pigeons cause a lot of damage. Blackbirds will strip the fruit leaving the bare strigs while pigeons strip the foliage leaving shredded foliage as well as eating the fruit. Blackcurrants should be grown in a fruit cage or covered with netting. Bird scarers can also be used. ******* 16