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

SYLLABUS FOR ICAR AICE PHD JRF/SRF (PGS) EXAM FOR 15 SPICES, PLANTATION, MEDICINAL & AROMATIC PLANTS

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

15 SPICES, PLANTATION, MEDICINAL & AROMATIC PLANTS

Unit 1: Production Technology of Plantation Crops

• Role of plantation crops in the national economy
• Export potential and IPR issues
• Clean development mechanism
• Classification and varietal diversity
• Plant multiplication and in vitro multiplication
• Systems of cultivation
• Photosynthetic efficiencies and environmental factors
• High-density planting
• Nutritional requirements
• Physiological disorders
• Role of growth regulators
• Water and nutrient management
• Fertigation
• Shade regulation
• Weed management
• Training and pruning
• Maturity indices
• Harvesting
• Post-harvest processing
• Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Organic farming
• Management of drought
• Precision farming
• Role of commodity boards and developmental institutions

Unit 2: Production Technology of Spice Crops

• Introduction and importance of spice crops
• Botany, taxonomy, and site selection
• Seed/planting material production
• Sowing/planting times and methods
• Seed rate and seed treatment
• Nutritional and irrigation requirements
• Intercropping and intercultural operations
• Weed control and mulching
• Physiological disorders
• Harvesting and post-harvest management
• Plant protection measures
• Precision farming
• Quality control
• Role of commodity boards in spice development

Unit 3: Production Technology of Medicinal and Aromatic Crops

• Herbal industry and WTO scenario
• Export and import status
• Indian system of medicine and Indigenous Traditional Knowledge
• IPR issues
• Systems of cultivation
• Organic production
• Role of institutions and NGOs
• GAP in medicinal crop production
• Post-harvest handling, drying, processing, grading, packing, and storage
• Quality control and regulations
• Phytochemical extraction techniques
• Aromatic industry and advancements
• Distillation methods and solvent extraction
• Quality analysis and value addition
• Institutional support and international promotion

Unit 4: Breeding of Plantation, Spice, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops

• Species and cultivars
• Cytogenetics and genetic diversity
• Blossom biology
• Breeding objectives and approaches
• Improvement of quality traits
• Resistance breeding for biotic and abiotic stresses
• Molecular-aided breeding and biotechnological approaches
• Marker-assisted selection
• Bioinformatics
• IPR issues
• Achievements and future thrusts

Unit 5: Processing of Plantation Crops, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

• Commercial uses of spices and plantation crops
• Processing of major spices and plantation crops
• Extraction of oleoresin and essential oils
• Different methods of drying and storage
• Microbial contamination
• Extraction and analysis of active principles
• Distillation and solvent extraction from aromatic plants
• Study of aroma compounds and value addition

Unit 6: Organic Spice and Plantation Crop Production Technology

• Importance and principles of organic production
• Perspective and concept of organic production
• Soil fertility management
• Pest and disease management
• Weed control
• Crop rotation in organic horticulture
• Composting and green manure
• Indigenous methods and biodynamics
• Certification of organic products
• Organic production and export opportunities and challenges

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
14 FLORICULTURE & LANDSCAPING / FLORICULTURE & LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Unit 1: Breeding

• Principles of breeding
• Evolution of varieties
• Origin, distribution, and genetic resources
• Genetic divergence
• Patents and Plant Variety Protection in India
• Genetic inheritance of flower traits
• Breeding methods for flower crops and ornamental plants
• Role of heterosis
• Production of hybrids
• Male sterility and incompatibility
• Seed production of flower crops
• Breeding constraints and achievements
• Crops covered: Rose, Jasmine, Chrysanthemum, Marigold, Tuberose, Crossandra, Carnation, Dahlia, Gerbera, Gladioli, Orchids, Anthurium, Aster, Heliconia, Lilium, and more.

Unit 2: Production Technology of Cut Flowers

• Scope of cut flowers in global trade
• Varietal diversity
• Nursery management
• Growing environments
• Soil requirements
• Planting methods
• Environmental parameters affecting growth and flowering
• Flower production management
• Water and nutrient management
• Training, pruning, and disbudding
• Use of growth regulators
• Physiological disorders and remedies
• IPM and IDM
• Flower forcing
• Post-harvest handling
• Pre-cooling, packing, and transportation
• Marketing and export potential
• Crops covered: Cut Rose, Cut Chrysanthemum, Carnation, Gerbera, Gladioli, Tuberose, Orchids, and more.

Unit 3: Production Technology for Loose Flowers

• Scope of loose flower trade
• Varietal diversity
• Propagation methods
• Nursery management
• Soil and climate requirements
• Field preparation
• Water and nutrient management
• Weed management
• Training, pruning, and pinching
• Use of growth regulators
• Physiological disorders and remedies
• IPM and IDM
• Flower forcing
• Harvesting and post-harvest handling
• Grading, packing, and storage
• Value addition
• Concrete and essential oil extraction
• Marketing and export potential
• Crops covered: Jasmine, Scented Rose, Chrysanthemum, Marigold, Tuberose, Crossandra, Nerium, Hibiscus, and more.

Unit 4: Landscaping

• Landscape designs and styles
• Types of gardens
• Urban landscaping
• Garden plant components
• Production technology for ornamental plants
• Lawns
• Special types of gardens
• Bio-aesthetic planning
• Theme parks
• Indoor and therapeutic gardening
• Water and xeriscaping
• Hardscaping

Unit 5: Protected Floriculture

• Prospects of protected floriculture in India
• Types of protected structures
• Designing and erection of protected structures
• Environment control
• Containers and substrates
• Water and nutrient management
• Physiological disorders
• IPM and IDM
• Crop regulation and photoperiod
• Harvesting and post-harvest handling
• Sorting, grading, and packing
• Storage and quality standards

Unit 6: Value Addition

• Prospects of value addition
• Types of value-added products
• Value addition in cut flowers and loose flowers
• Dry flowers
• Concrete and essential oils
• Plant pigments

Unit 7: Turfing and Turf Management

• Prospects of the landscape industry
• Turf grasses
• Selection of grasses
• Turfing methods
• Turf management
• Mowing and weed control
• Stress management in turfs

Unit 8: Computer-Aided Designing (CAD) for Outdoor and Indoorscaping

• Introduction to CAD
• 2D drawing by AUTOCAD
• 3D drawing by ARCHICAD
• Photoshop basics
• Drawing techniques in AUTOCAD and ARCHICAD
• Designing outdoor and indoor gardens using CAD

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
13. FRUIT SCIENCE/POMOLOGY

Unit 1: Tropical and Dry Land Fruit Production

• Commercial varieties of fruits
• Eco-physiological requirements
• Recent trends in propagation
• Scion-stock relationship
• Planting systems
• Cropping systems
• Canopy management
• Nutrient management
• Water management
• Fertigation
• Role of bio-regulators
• Abiotic factors limiting fruit production
• Physiology of flowering, pollination, fruit set, and development
• Honeybees in cross-pollination
• Physiological disorders, causes, and remedies
• Quality improvement
• Maturity indices
• Harvesting, grading, packing
• Storage and ripening techniques
• Industrial and export potential
• Agri. Export Zones (AEZ) and industrial supports
• Crops covered: Mango, Banana, Citrus, Papaya, Guava, Sapota, Annonas, Aonla, Bael, Wood apple, Jamun, Pomegranate, Ber, and minor fruits of the tropics.

Unit 2: Subtropical and Temperate Fruit Production

• Commercial varieties of fruits
• Eco-physiological requirements
• Recent trends in propagation
• Scion-stock relationship
• Planting systems
• Cropping systems
• Root zone and canopy management
• Nutrient management
• Water management
• Fertigation
• Role of bio-regulators
• Abiotic factors limiting fruit production
• Physiology of flowering, pollination, fruit set, and development
• Honeybees in cross-pollination
• Physiological disorders, causes, and remedies
• Quality improvement
• Maturity indices
• Harvesting, grading, packing
• Storage and ripening techniques
• Industrial and export potential
• Agri. Export Zones (AEZ) and industrial supports
• Crops covered: Avocado, Pineapple, Jackfruit, Mangosteen, Carambola, Fig, Rambutan, Litchi, Loquat, Apple, Pear, Quince, Grapes, Plums, Peach, Apricot, Cherries, Persimmon, Kiwifruit, Strawberry, Walnut, Almond, Pistachio, Hazelnut.

Unit 3: Biodiversity and Conservation

• Biodiversity and conservation
• Centres of origin of cultivated fruits
• Genetic diversity centers
• Germplasm exploration and collection
• Conservation in-situ and ex-situ
• Germplasm conservation techniques
• Intellectual property rights
• Regulatory horticulture
• Detection of genetic constitution of germplasm
• GIS and documentation of local biodiversity
• Geographical indication
• Crops covered: Mango, Sapota, Citrus, Guava, Banana, Papaya, Grapes, Jackfruit, Custard apple, Ber, Aonla, Malus & Prunus sp., Litchi, Nuts.

Unit 4: Canopy Management in Fruit Crops

• Importance and advantages of canopy management
• Factors affecting canopy development
• Canopy types and structures
• Geometry of planting
• Canopy manipulation for optimal light utilization
• Light interception and distribution
• Spacing and land area utilization
• Canopy management through rootstock and scion
• Canopy management through plant growth retardants, training, pruning, and other practices
• Canopy development and management in relation to growth, flowering, fruiting, and fruit quality
• Crops covered: Temperate fruits, Grapes, Mango, Sapota, Guava, Citrus, Ber.

Unit 5: Breeding of Fruit Crops

• Origin, distribution, and taxonomy of fruit crops
• Genetic resources and breeding systems
• Breeding objectives and constraints
• Approaches for crop improvement
• Biotechnological interventions
• Crop-specific breeding achievements and future thrust
• Crops covered: Mango, Banana, Pineapple, Citrus, Grapes, Guava, Sapota, Jackfruit, Papaya, Custard apple, Aonla, Avocado, Ber, Litchi, Jamun, Phalsa, Mulberry, Raspberry, Apple, Pear, Plums, Peach, Apricot, Cherries, Strawberry.

Unit 6: Post-Harvest Technology

• Maturity indices and harvesting practices
• Grading for market requirements
• Influence of pre-harvest practices
• Physiology and biochemistry of fruit ripening
• Ethylene management
• Factors leading to post-harvest loss
• Pre-cooling and treatment prior to shipment
• Packaging methods and transport
• Quality evaluation and preservation
• Food processing and safety standards
• Role of HACCP

Unit 7: Growth and Development

• Definitions and parameters of growth and development
• Growth dynamics and morphogenesis
• Environmental impacts on growth and development
• Hormonal regulation
• Assimilate partitioning
• Influence of water and mineral nutrition
• Biosynthesis of plant growth regulators
• Developmental physiology and biochemistry
• Growth and development during stress
• Manipulation of growth and development
• Molecular and genetic approaches

Unit 8: Biotechnology of Fruit Crops

• Biotechnology for crop improvement
• In vitro culture techniques
• Callus culture, somatic embryogenesis, and organogenesis
• Use of bioreactors
• Micropropagation
• Hardening of tissue culture plants
• Clonal propagation
• Genetic engineering and transformation
• Use of molecular markers
• Application of gene editing tools

Unit 9: Protected Fruit Culture

• Greenhouse design and types
• Environmental factors
• Basics of greenhouse design
• Interaction of light, temperature, humidity, CO2, and water
• Greenhouse heating, cooling, and ventilation
• Ventilation types and techniques
• Microcontrollers and automation
• Pest and disease management

Unit 10: Principles and Practices of Plant Propagation

• Sexual propagation and seed germination
• Rooting of cuttings
• Selection of elite mother plants
• Establishment of bud wood bank
• Stock, scion, and interstock relationship
• Physiology of dwarfing rootstocks
• Rejuvenation of orchards
• Micropropagation
• In vitro mutation and genetic engineering
• Preservation of genetic resources

SYLLABUS FOR ICAR AICE PHD JRF/SRF (PGS) EXAM FOR 12. VEGETABLE SCIENCE / OLERICULTURE

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

12. VEGETABLE SCIENCE / OLERICULTURE:

***

Unit 1: Production Technology of Cool Season Vegetable Crops

• Introduction, climatic, and soil requirements
• Commercial varieties/hybrids
• Sowing/planting times and methods
• Seed rate and seed treatment
• Nutritional and irrigation requirements
• Intercultural operations
• Weed control
• Mulching
• Physiological disorders
• Harvesting of various vegetables, including potato, chow chow, cabbage, cauliflower, knolkhol, broccoli, root crops (carrot, radish, turnip, beetroot), bulb crops (onion, garlic), peas, beans, and palak.

Unit 2: Production Technology of Warm Season Vegetable Crops

• Introduction, climatic, and soil requirements
• Commercial varieties/hybrids
• Sowing/planting times and methods
• Seed rate and seed treatment
• Nutritional and irrigation requirements
• Intercultural operations
• Weed control
• Mulching
• Physiological disorders
• Harvesting of various vegetables, including tomato, eggplant, pepper (hot and sweet), okra, vegetable cowpea, Dolichos lablab, cluster bean, cucurbitaceous crops, sweet potato, cassava, yams, coclocasia, moringa, and amaranths.

Unit 3: Breeding of Vegetable Crops

• Cytogenetics and genetics
• Breeding objectives
• Breeding methods (introduction, selection, hybridization, mutation)
• Varieties and varietal characterization
• Resistance breeding for biotic and abiotic stress
• Quality improvement
• Biotechnology and its use in breeding in vegetable crops
• Molecular markers, genomics, marker-assisted selection, and QTLs in various vegetable crops.

Unit 4: Growth and Development

• Cellular structures and their functions
• Growth and development definitions
• Growth analysis in vegetable production
• Physiology of dormancy and germination of vegetable seeds, tubers, and bulbs
• Role of hormones and growth regulators
• Application of synthetic hormones and plant growth retardants
• Role of light, temperature, and photoperiod
• Physiology of fruit set, fruit development, fruit growth, flower and fruit drop
• Parthenocarpy in vegetable crops
• Ethylene, senescence, and abscission
• Fruit ripening and physiological changes associated with ripening
• Plant growth regulators in relation to morphogenesis and tissue culture techniques.

Unit 5: Seed Production

• Importance and status of the vegetable industry
• Modes of propagation in vegetables
• Seed morphology and development
• Floral biology
• Quality seed production steps and methods
• Seed production technology for various vegetable types
• Clonal propagation and multiplication in tuber crops
• Hybrid seed production technology
• Use of male sterility and self-incompatibility in hybrid seed production.

Unit 6: Systematics of Vegetable Crops

• Principles of classification
• Methods of classification
• International code of nomenclature of vegetable crops
• Origin, history, evolution, and distribution of vegetable crops
• Taxonomy and botanical description of various vegetable families, genera, and species
• Role of molecular markers in evolution and taxonomy of vegetable crops.

Unit 7: Production Technology of Underexploited Vegetable Crops

• Introduction and botany
• Climatic and soil requirements
• Commercial varieties/hybrids
• Planting time and method
• Seed rate and seed treatment
• Nutritional and irrigation requirements
• Intercultural operations
• Weed control
• Mulching
• Physiological disorders
• Harvesting of underexploited vegetables.

Unit 8: Post-Harvest Technology of Vegetable Crops

• Importance and scope of post-harvest management
• Maturity indices and standards
• Methods of maturity determination
• Biochemistry of maturity and ripening
• Harvesting practices
• Grading and packaging
• Post-harvest physiological and biochemical changes
• Disorders and prevention
• Storage methods and practices
• HACCP, Codex, FSSAI.

Unit 9: Organic Vegetable Production Technology

• Principles and components of organic production
• Managing soil fertility, pests, diseases, and weeds in organic farming
• Crop rotation
• Methods of enhancing soil fertility
• Mulching and green manure crops
• Composting and biodynamic preparations
• Organic certification standards and challenges.

Unit 10: Hi-tech Production Technology of Vegetable Crops

• Importance of protected cultivation
• Greenhouse technology
• Effect of environmental factors
• Energy management
• Low-cost structures
• Engineering aspects
• Types of protected structures
• Cladding materials
• Irrigation and fertigation
• Special horticultural practices
• Hydroponics and soilless culture
• Enhancing productivity and off-season cultivation.

Syllabus for ICAR AIEEA PG JRF Exam for Group: Code 08: MAJOR SUBJECT GROUP - HORTICULTURE

SYLLABI FOR ICAR’S ALL INDIA ENTRANCE EXAMINATION FOR ADMISSION TO MASTER DEGREE PROGRAMMES AND ICAR-PG SCHOLARSHIP/NTS (PGS)

Syllabus for ICAR AIEEA PG JRF Exam for Group:

(CLICK HERE)

Code 08: MAJOR SUBJECT GROUP - HORTICULTURE

• Sub-Subjects:
• 8.1: Horticulture
• 8.2: Vegetable Crops or Sci. / Olericulture
• 8.3: Pomology/ Fruit Sci., Fruit Sci. and Horticulture Technology
• 8.4: Post-Harvest Technology of Horticultural Crops
• 8.5: Floriculture & Landscaping Architecture
• 8.6: Plantation Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops

UNIT-I: Importance of Agriculture in the National Economy and Basic Principles of Crop Production

• Cultivation of various crops including rice, wheat, chickpea, pigeon-pea, sugarcane, groundnut, tomato, and mango.
• Major soils of India and the role of NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) and deficiency symptoms.
• Structure and function of cell organelles.
• Mitosis and meiosis.
• Mendelian genetics.
• Elementary knowledge of photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration.
• Structure and functions of carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, enzymes, and vitamins.
• Major pests and diseases of rice, wheat, cotton, chickpea, sugarcane, and their management.
• Important rural development programs in India.
• Organizational setup of agricultural research, education, and extension in India.
• Elements of statistics.

UNIT-II: Horticultural Practices and Crop Cultivation

• Layout and establishment of orchards.
• Pruning and training of fruit trees.
• Propagation and climatic requirements for fruits like mango, banana, citrus, guava, grape, pineapple, papaya, apple, pear, peach, and plum.
• Cultivation of plantation crops like coconut and cashew nut.
• Cultivation of spices like black pepper, coriander, and turmeric.
• Physiological disorders in horticultural crops.
• Major vegetable crops of tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions.
• Techniques for raising nursery plants.
• Nutritive value of fruits and vegetables and their role in human nutrition.
• Basic physiology of ripening in fruits and vegetables.
• Types of fruits and vegetable products and control of fungal and bacterial diseases.
• Major floricultural crops grown in India for commercial purposes such as rose, carnation, chrysanthemum, marigold, tuberose, gladiolus, and orchids.
• Establishment and maintenance of lawns, trees, shrubs, creepers, hedges, and annuals.
• Types of gardens and methods of crop improvement.
• Concepts of male sterility and incompatibility.
• Plant breeding methods including pure line and pedigree selection, backcross, and mass selection.
• Heterosis (hybrid vigor).
• Plant nutrients, deficiency symptoms, manures, and fertilizers.
• Systems of irrigation.
• Management of important pests and diseases of fruits and vegetables.

Information Bulletin of ICAR AIEEA (PG) – 2023 

website: icar.nta.nic.in/information-bulletin/

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Restructured and Revised Syllabi of Post-graduate Programmes

MSc.

 – Plant Sciences – Plant Protection – Horticultural Sciences – Forestry – Sericulture

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– Physical Sciences – Social Sciences – Basic Sciences – Biotechnology and Bioinformatics – Statistical Sciences

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