Code 02: MAJOR SUBJECT GROUP - PLANT SCIENCES (SYLLABI FOR ICAR’S JRF)

SYLLABI FOR ICAR’S ALL INDIA ENTRANCE EXAMINATION FOR ADMISSION TO MASTER

DEGREE PROGRAMMES AND ICAR-PG SCHOLARSHIP/NTS (PGS)

Code 02: MAJOR SUBJECT GROUP - PLANT SCIENCES 

(Sub-Subjects: 2.1: Plant Breeding & Genetics, 2.2: Plant Pathology, 2.3: Agricultural Microbiology/Microbiology, 2.4: Seed Science & Technology, 2.5: Plant Genetic Resources) 

UNIT-I:  General Agriculture: 

1. Importance of Agriculture in national economy; 
2. Basic principles of crop production; 
3. Cultivation of rice, wheat, chickpea, pigeon-pea, sugarcane, groundnut, tomato, potato and mango. 
4. Major soils of India, 
5. Role of NPK and their deficiency symptoms.

UNIT-II: .

1. Structure and function of cell organelles; 
2. Mitosis and meiosis; 
3. Mendelian genetics; 
4. Elementary knowledge of photosynthesis; respiration, and transpiration; 
5. Structure and functions of carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, enzymes and vitamins. 
6. Major pests and diseases of rice, wheat, cotton, chickpea, sugarcane and their management.

UNIT-III: 

1. Characteristics of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, 
2. Differences between fungi, bacteria, mycoplasmas and viruses; 
3. Physical and chemical basis of heredity; 
4. Chromosome structure; 
5. Genes/operon concept; 
6. Protein biosynthesis; 
7. Transformation, 
8. Recombination, 
9. Heterosis; 
10. Elements of economic botany; 
11. Integrated diseases management; 
12. Sterilisation, disinfection and pasteurization; 
13. Koch’s postulates; 
14. Etiological agents of rusts, smuts, powdery/downy mildews, wilts, yellows, mosaic, necrosis, enations, blights and witches- broom; 
15. pH, buffer, 
16. Vitamins, 
17. Role of plant hormones in seed germination and dormancy; 
18. Pollination/ fertilization in flowering plants; 
19. Methods of seed testing; 
20. Breeders, foundation and certified seeds; 
21. Seed production in self and cross pollinated crops, 
22. Nitrate assimilation; 
23. Biological nitrogen fixation and other uses of microorganisms in agriculture.

UNIT-IV: 

1. Food and industry; 
2. Composting and biogas production. 
3. Important rural development programmes in India; 
4. Organizational set up of agricultural research, education and extension in India.