Syllabus of Plant Science as per ICAR's all India Entrance Examination for Admission to Master Degree Programmes
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:
Importance of Agriculture in national economy; basic principles of crop production; cultivation of rice, wheat, chickpea, pigeon-pea, sugarcane, groundnut, tomato, potato and mango. Major soils of India, role of NPK and their deficiency symptoms.
UNIT-II:
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.
UNIT-III:
Characteristics of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, differences between fungi, bacteria, Mycoplasma and viruses; physical and chemical basis of heredity; chromosome structure: genes/operon concept; protein biosynthesis; transformation, recombination, Heterosis; sterilisation, disinfection and pasteurization; Koch's postulates; etiological agents of rusts, 40 smuts, powdery/downy mildews and wilts; vitamins, role of plant hormones in seed germination and dormancy; pollination/ fertilization in flowering plants; methods of seed testing; breeders, foundation and certified seeds; seed production in self and cross pollinated crops, nitrate assimilation; biological nitrogen fixation and other uses of microorganisms in agriculture.
UNIT-IV:
Composting and biogas production, important rural development programmes in India; organizational set up of agricultural research, education and extension in India.
