Pearson Edexcel BTEC Agriculture Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Soil science underpins many Unit 1 and Unit 2 questions. Know the three primary soil textures (sandy, clay, loam) and how each affects drainage, aeration, water retention, and workability. Understand how pH affects nutrient availability — most crops prefer pH 6.0–7.0 — and be able to explain how lime applications raise pH and what happens to nutrient availability in acidic or alkaline conditions. Crop production questions often focus on integrated pest management (IPM). Rather than describing pesticide application alone, explain the IPM hierarchy: cultural controls (crop rotation, resistant varieties), biological controls (predators and parasitoids), and chemical controls as a last resort. Examiners reward candidates who show awareness of resistance management and the environmental impact of agrochemicals. For animal production, know the key performance indicators for each major livestock system: daily live weight gain for beef cattle, litter size and piglets weaned per sow per year for pigs, and eggs per hen per year for poultry. Be able to link nutrition, housing, health, and genetics to performance outcomes.