PAPER-I
1. Microbiology and Plant Pathology: Viruses, bacteria, and
plasmids-structure and reproduction. General account of infection,
Phytoimmunology. Applications of microbiology in agriculture, industry, medicine
and pollution control in air, soil and water.
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Important plant diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, mycoplasma, fungi and
nematodes. Mode of infection and dissemination. Molecular basis of infection and
disease resistance/defence. Physiology of parasitism and control measures.
Fungal toxins.
2. Cryptogams: Algae, Fungi, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes-structure and
reproduction from evolutionary viewpoint. Distribution of Cryptogams in India
and their economic potential.
3. Phanerogams: Gymnosperms: Concept of Progymonosperms.
Classification and distribution of Gymnosperms. Salient features of Cycadales,
Conferrals and Gnetales, their structures and reproduction. General account of
Cycadofilicales, Bennettitales and Cordaitales.
Angiosperms: Systematics, anatomy, embryology, palynology and
phylogeny.
Comparative account of various systems of Angiosperm Classiification. Study
of angiospermic families�Magnoliaceae, Ranunculaceae, Brassicaceae
(Cruci-ferae), Rosaceae, Leguminosae, Euphorbiaceae, Malvaceae,
Dipterocar-paceae, Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), Asclepiadaceae, Verbenaceae,
Solana-ceae, Rubiaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Asteraceae (Composite), Poaceae
(Gramineae), Arecaceae (Palmae), Liliaceae, Musaceae, Orchidaceae.
Stomata and their types. Anomalous secondary growth, Anatomy of C 3 and C 4
plants.
Development of male and female gametophytes, pollination, fertilization.
Endosperm�its development and function. Patterns of embryo development.
Polymbryony, apoxmix, Applications of palynology.
4. Plant Utility and Exploitation:
Origin of cultivated plants, Vavilov's centres of origin. Plants as sources
for food, fodder, fibres, spices, beverages, drugs, narcotics, insecticides,
timber, gums, resins and dyes.
Latex, cellulose Starch and their products. Perfumery. Importance of
Ethnobotany in Indian context. Energy plantation. Botanical Gardens and
Herbaria.
5. Morphogenesis: Totipotency, polarity, symmetry and differentiation.
Cell, tissue, organ and protoplast culture. Somatic hybrids and Cybrids.
PAPER-II
1. Cell Biology: Techniques of Cell Biology. Prokaryotic and
eukaryotic cells -structural and ultrastructural details. Structure and function
of extracellular matrix or ECM (cell wall) and membranes-cell adhesion, membrane
transport and vesicular transport. Structure and function of cell organelles
(chloroplasts, mitochondria, ER, ribosomes, endosomes, lysosomes, peroxisomes,
hydrogenosome). Nucleus, nucleolus, nuclear pore complex. Chromatin and
nucleosome. Cell signalling and cell receptors. Signal transduction (G-1
proteins, etc.). Mitosis and meisdosis; molecular basis of cell cycle. Numerical
and structural variations in chromosomes and their significance. Study of
polytene, lampbrush and B-chromosomes�structure, behaviour and significance.
2. Genetics, Molecular Biology and Evolution: Development of genetics,
and gene versus allele concepts (Pseudoalleles). Quantitative genetics and
multiple factors. Linkage and crossing over�methods of gene mapping including
molecular maps (idea of mapping function). Sex chromosomes and sexlinked
inheritance, sex determination and molecular basis of sex differentiation.
Mutation (biochemical and molecular basis). Cytoplasmic inheritance and
cytoplasmic genes (including genetics of male sterility). Prions and prion
hypothesis.
Structure and synthesis of nucleic acids and protines. Genetic code and
regulation of gene expression. Multigene families.
Organic evolution-evidences, mechanism and theories. Role of RNA in origin
and evolution.
3. Plant Breeding, Biotechnology and Biostatistics: Methods of plant
breeding -- introduction, selection and hybridization (pedigree, backcross, mass
selection, bulk method). Male sterility and heterosis breeding. Use of apomixis
in plant breeding. Micropropagation and genetic engineering�methods of transfer
of genes and transgenic crops; development and use of molecular markers in plant
breeding.
Standard deviation and coefficient of variation (CV). Tests of significance
(Z-test, t-test and chi-square tests). Probability and distributions (normal,
binomial and Poisson distributions). Correlation and regression.
4. Physiology and Biochemistry: Water relations, Mineral nutrition and
ion transport, mineral deficiencies. Photosynthesis�photochemical reactions,
photophosphorylation and carbon pathways including C pathway (photorespiration),
C, C and CAM pathways. Respiraion (anaerobic and aerobic, including
fermentation�electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation.
Chemiosmotic theory and ATP synthesis. Nitrogen fixation and nitrogen
metabolism. Enzymes, coenzymes, energy transfer and energy conservation.
Importance of secondary metabolites. Pigments as photoreceptors (plastidial
pigments and phytochrome). Photoperiodism and flowering, vernalization,
senescence. Growth substances-their chemical nature, role and applications in
agri-horticulture, growth indices, growth movements. Stress physiology (heat,
water, salinity, metal). Fruit and seed physiology. Dormancy, storage and
germination of seed. Fruit ripening -- its molecular basis and manipulation.
5. Ecology and Plant Geography: Ecological factors. Concepts and
dynamics of community. Plant succession. Concepts of biosphere. Ecosystems and
their conservation. Pollution and its control (including phytoremediaion).
Forest types of India -- afforestation, deforestation and social forestry.
Endangered plants, endemism and Red Data Books. Biodiversity. Convention of
Biological Diversity, Sovereign Rights and Intellectual Property Rights.
Biogeochemical cells. Global warming.
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