SYLLABUS FOR THE ALL INDIA COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION FOR

ADMISSION TO DOCTORAL DEGREE PROGRAMMES AND THE AWARD OF

JRF/SRF (PGS):

SYLLABUS FOR ICAR AICE PHD JRF/SRF (PGS) EXAM FOR
16 POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGY

Unit 1: Post-Harvest Technology of Vegetable Crops

• Scope and importance of post-harvest management of vegetables
• Nature and causes of post-harvest losses
• Maturity indices and standards for different vegetables
• Methods of assessment of maturity
• Physiological and biochemical changes during maturity and ripening
• Enzymatic and textural changes
• Ethylene evolution and management
• Respiration and transpiration
• Influence of pre-harvest practices on shelf life and quality
• Harvesting methods and practices
• Pre-cooling methods
• Grading, washing, and pack house operations
• Pre-treatments, including chemicals, wax coating, edible coating, and irradiation
• Packaging of vegetables and packaging materials
• Storage methods (ventilated, refrigerated, MA, CA storage, etc.)
• Storage disorders and prevention
• Post-harvest diseases and pests prevention
• Principles of transport
• Food safety standards and export standards

Unit 2: Post-Harvest Technology of Fruit Crops

• Scope and importance of post-harvest management of fruits
• Factors leading to post-harvest losses
• Maturity indices and methods of assessment
• Harvesting practices and grading
• Physiological and biochemical changes during maturity and ripening
• Ethylene evolution and management
• Enzymatic and textural changes
• Respiration and transpiration
• Influence of pre-harvest practices on shelf life and quality
• Harvesting methods and practices
• Pre-cooling methods
• Grading, washing, and pack house operations
• Pre-treatments prior to shipment
• Pre-packaging and irradiation
• Packaging of fruits and packaging materials
• Storage methods (ventilated, refrigerated, MAS, CA storage, etc.)
• Physical injuries and disorders
• Transportation and marketing standards for international markets
• Principles and methods of preservation
• Food processing (canning, fruit juices, beverages, pickles, etc.)
• Dried and dehydrated products
• Nutritionally enriched products
• Fermented fruit beverages
• Packaging technology
• Processing waste management
• Food safety standards and export standards

Unit 3: Value Addition of Flowers

• Prospects of value addition
• National and global scenario, production, and export
• Women empowerment through value-added products
• Supply chain management
• Types of value-added products for flowers
• Value addition in loose flowers, garlands, veni, floats, floral decorations
• Value addition in cut flowers and flower arrangements
• Selection of containers and accessories for floral products
• Aromatherapy, pigment, and natural dye extraction techniques
• Dry flowers and their preparation techniques
• Designing and arrangement of dry flower products
• Packing and storage
• Concrete and essential oils
• Selection of species and varieties for pigments
• Extraction methods for natural pigments
• Applications and export standards

Unit 4: Processing of Plantation Crops, Spices, Medicinal, and Aromatic Plants

• Prospects of processing and value addition
• National and global scenario, production, and exports
• Commercial uses of spices and plantation crops
• Processing of major spices and plantation crops
• Extraction of oleoresin and essential oils
• Processing of produce from plantation crops
• Processing of medicinal plants
• Different methods of drying and storage
• Microbial contamination and prevention
• Influence of temperature and time on active principles
• Extraction and analysis of active principles
• Distillation and solvent extraction from aromatic plants
• Extraction of aroma compounds and aromatherapy
• Applications in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals
• Application of nanotechnology in medicinal and aromatic plants
• Export standards