BOTANY Optional Subject in UPSC | UPSC Family

 BOTANY

PAPER-I

1. Microbiology and Plant Pathology :

Structure and reproduction/multiplication of viruses,viroids, bacteria, fungi and

mycoplasma; Applications of microbiology in agriculture, industry, medicine and in control

of soil and water pollution; Prion and Prion hypothesis.

Important crop diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, mycoplasma, fungi and nematodes;

Modes of infection and dissemination; Molecular basis of infection and disease

resistance/defence; Physiology of parasitism and control measures. Fungal toxins.

Modelling and disease forecasting; Plant quarantine

2. Cryptogams :

Algae, fungi, lichens, bryophytes, pteridophytes-structure and reproduction frome volutionary viewpoint; Distribution of Cryptogams in India and their ecological and economic importance.

3. Phanerogams :

Gymnosperms : Concept of Progymnosperms. Classification and distribution of

gymnosperms. Salient features of Cycadales, Ginkgoales, Coniferales and Gnetales,

their structure and reproduction. General account of Cycadofilicales, Bennettitales and

Cordiaitailes; Geological time scale; Type of fossils and their study techniques.

Angiosperms : Systematics, anatomy, embryology, palynology and phylogency.

Taxonomic hierarchy; International Code of Botanical Nomenclature; Numerical taxomomy

and chemotaxomomy; Evidence from anatomy, embryology and palynology.

Origin and evolution of angiosperms; Comparative account of various systems of

classification of angiosperms; Study of angiospermic families— Mangnoliaceae,

Ranunculaceae, Brassicaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Malvaceae,

Dipterocarpaceae, Apiaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Verbenaceae, Solanaceae, Rubiaceae,

Cucurbitaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae, Arecaceae, Liliaceae, Musaceae and Orchidaceae.

Stomata and their types; Glandular and non-glandular trichomes; Unusual secondary

growth; Anatomy of C3 and C4 plants; Xylem and phloem differentiation; Wood anatomy.

Development of male and female gametophytes, pollination, fertilization; Endosperm—its developmentent and function. Patterns of embryo development; Polyembroyony, apomixes;

Applications of palynology; Experimental embryology including pollen storage and

test-tube fertilization.

 

 4. Plant Resource Development :

Domestication and introduction of plants; Origin of cultivated plants, Vavilov’s centres of 

origin. Plants as sources for food, fodder, fibres, spices, beverages, edible oils, drugs, 

narcotics, insecticides, timber, gums, resins and dyes; latex, cellulose, starch and its 

products; Perfumery; Importance of Ethnobotany in Indian context; Energy plantations; 

Botanical Gardens and Herbaria.     

5. Morphogenesis :

Totipotency, polarity, symmetry and differentiation; Cell, tissue, organ and protoplast culture. Somatic hybrids and Cybrids; Micropropagation; Somaclonal variation and its applications; Pollen haploids, embryo rescue methods and their applications.   

PAPER-II 

1. Cell Biology :

Techniques of cell biology. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells—structural and ultrastructural

details; Structure and function of extracellular matrix (cell wall) and membranes-cell

adhesion, membrane transport and vesicular transport; Structure and function of cell

organelles (chloroplasts, mitochondria, ER, dictyosomes ribosomes, endosomes,lysosomes,

peroxisomes; Cytoskelaton and microtubules; Nucleus, nucleolus, nuclear pore complex;
Chromatin and nucleosome; Cell signalling and cell receptors; Signal transduction Mitosis
and meiosis; molecular basis of cell cycle. Numerical and structural variations in
chromosomes and their significance; Chromatin organization and packaging of genome;

Polytene chromosomes; 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; Incomplete dominance, polygenic inheritance, multiple
alleles; Linkage and crossing over of gene mapping including molecular maps (idea of
mapping, function); Sex chromosomes and sex-linked inheritance; sex determination and
molecular basis of sex differentiation; Mutations (biochemical and molecular basis);
Cytoplasmic inheritance and cytoplasmic genes (including genetics of male sterility).
Structure and synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins; Genetic code and regulation of gene
expression; Gene silencing; 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); Mutation, polyploidy, male sterility and heterosis

breeding. Use of apomixes in plant breeding; DNA sequencing; Genetic

engineering—methods of transfer of genes; Transgenic crops and biosafety aspects;

Development and use of molecular markers in plant breeding; Tools and

techniques—probe, southern blotting, DNA fingerprinting, PCR and FISH. 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).

Correlation and regression.

 4. Physiology and Biochemistry :

Water relations, mineral nutrition and ion transport, mineral deficiencies.

Photosynthesis—photochemical reactions, photophosphorylation and carbon fixation

pathways; C3, C4 and CAM pathways; Mechanism of pholem transport, Respiration

(anerobic and aerobic, including fermentation)—electron transport chain and oxidative

phosphorylation; Photorespiration; Chemiosmotic theory and ATP synthesis; Lipid

metabolism; Nitrogen fixation and nitrogen metabolism. Enzymes, coenzymes; Energy

transfer and energy conservation. Importance of secondary metabolites. Pigments as

photoreceptors (plastidial pigments and phytochrome). Plant movements; 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 :

Concept of ecosystem; Ecological factors. Concepts and dynamics of community; Plant succession. Concepts of biosphere; Ecosystems; Conservation; Pollution and its control

(including phytoreme-diation); Plant indicators; Environment (Protection) Act.

Forest types of India—‘Ecological and ecomomic importance of forests, afforestation,

deforestation and social forestry; Endangered plants, endemism IUCN categories, Red Data

Books; Biodiversity and its conservation; Protected Area Network; Convention of Biological

Diversity, Farmers’ Rights; and Intellectual Property Rights; Concept of Sustainable

Development; Biogeochemical cycles. Global warming and climatic change; Invasive species;

Environmetal Impact Assessment; Phytogeographical regions of India.