Syllabus for IAS Agriculture

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Preliminary Syllabus
Agriculture, its importance in national economy. Factors determining agroecological zones and geographic distribution of crop plants.

Importance of crop plants, cultural practices for cereal, pulses, oilseed, fibre, sugar, tuber and fodder crops and scientific basis for these crop rotations, multiple and relay cropping, intercropping and mixed cropping.

Soil as medium of plant growth and its composition, mineral and organic constituents of the soil and their role in crop production; chemical, physical and microbiological properties of soils. Essential plant nutrients (macro and micro)their functions, occurrence, cycling in soils Principles of soil fertility and its evaluation for judicious fertilizer use. Organic manures and bio-fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers, integrated nutrient management.

Principles of plant physiology with reference to plant nutrition, absorption, transactions, and metabolism of nutrients.

Diagnosis of nutrient deficiencies and their amelioration photosynthesis and respiration, growth and development, auxins and hormones in plant growth.

Cell and cell organelles. Cell division. Reproductive cycle, Principles of genetics, gene-interaction, sex determination, linkage and recombination, mutation, extra chromosomal inheritance, polyploidy. Origin and domestication of crop plants. Genetic resources-conservation and utilization. Floral biology in relation to selfing and crossing.

Genetic basis of plant breeding pureline selection, mass selection, male sterility and incompatibility and their use in plant breeding. Pedigree selection, back-cross method of selection. Heterosis and its exploitation. Development of hybrids, composites and synthetic, Important varieties, hybrids, composites and synthetic of major crops. Seeds and seed-production techniques.

Important fruit and vegetable crops of India, method of propagationSexual and asexual. Package and practices and their scientific basis. Crop rotation, intercropping, companion crops, role of fruits and vegetables in human nutrition, post-harvest handling and processing of fruits and vegetables. Landscaping and ornamental horticulture, commercial floriculture. Medicinal and aromatic plants. Serious pests and diseases affecting major crops. Principles of control of crop pests and diseases, integrated management. Proper use and maintenance of plant protection equipment.

Principles of economics as applied to agriculture. Farm planning and optimum resourceuse efficiency and maximising income and employment. Farm systems and their spatial distribution, their significant roles in regional economic development.

Mains exam Agriculture syllabus
Paper I

Ecology and its relevance to man, natural resources, their sustainable management and conservation. Physical and social environment as factors of crop distribution and production. Climatic elements as factors of crop growth, impact of changing environment on cropping pattern as indicators of environments.

Environmental pollution and associated hazards to crops, animals, and humans.

Cropping pattern in different agro-climatic zones of the country. Impact of high-yielding and short-duration varieties on shifts in cropping pattern.

Concepts of multiple cropping, multistorey, relay and inter-cropping, and their importance in relation to food production. Package of practices for production of important cereals, pulses, oil seeds, fibres, sugar, commercial and fodder crops grown during Kharif and Rabi seasons in different regions of the country.

Important features, scope and propagation of various types of forestry plantations such as extension, social forestry, agro-forestry, and natural forests.

Weeds, their characteristics, dissemination and association with various crops; their multiplication; cultural, biological and chemical control of weeds.

Soil: physical, chemical and biological properties. Processes and factors of soil formation. Modern classification of Indian soils, Mineral and organic constituents of soils and their role in maintaining soil productivity. Essential plant nutrients and other beneficial elements in soils and plants. Principles of soil fertility and its evaluation for judicious fertiliser use, integrated nutrient management. Losses of nitrogen in soil, nitrogen-use efficiency in submerged rice soils, nitrogen fixation in soils. Fixation of phosphorus and potassium in soils and the scope for their efficient use. Problem soils and their reclamation methods.

Soil conservation planning on watershed basis. Erosion and run-off management in hilly, foot hills, and valley lands; processes and factors affecting them. Dryland agriculture and its problems. Technology of stabilising agriculture production in rainfed agriculture area.

Water-use efficiency in relation to crop production, criteria for scheduling irrigations, ways and means of reducing run-off losses of irrigation water. Drip and sprinkler irrigation. Drainage of water-logged soils, quality of irrigation water, effect of industrial effluents on soil and water pollution.

Farm management, scope, important and characteristics, farm planning. Optimum resources use and budgeting. Economics of different types of farming systems.

Marketing and pricing of agricultural inputs and outputs, price fluctuations and their cost; role of co-operatives in agricultural economy; types and systems of farming and factors affecting them.

Agricultural extension, its importance and role, methods of evaluation of extension programmes, socio-economic survey and status of big, small, and marginal farmers and landless agricultural labourers; farm mechanization and its role in agricultural productioin and rural employment. Training programmes for extension workers; lab-to-land programmes.

Paper II

Cell Theory, cell structure, cell organelles and their function, cell division, nucleic acids-structure and function, gene structure and function. Laws of heredity, their significance in plant breeding. Chromosome structure, chromosomal aberrations, linkage and cross-over, and their significance in recombination breeding. Polyploidy, euploid and an euploids. Mutation-micro and macro-and their role in crop improvement. Variation, components of variation.

Heritability, sterility and incompatibility, classification and their application in crop improvement. Cytoplasmic inheritance, sex-linked, sex-influenced and sex-limited characters.

History of plant breeding. Modes of reproduction, selfing and crossing techniques. Origin and evolution of crop plants, centre of origin, law of homologous series, crop genetic resources-conservation and utilization.

Application of principles of plant breeding to the improvement of major field crops. Pure-line selection, pedigree, mass and recurrent selections, combining ability, its significance in plant breeding. Hybrid vigour and its exploitation, backcross method of breeding, breeding for disease and pest resistance, role of interspecific and intergeneric hybridization. Role of biotechnology in plant breeding. Improved varieties, hybrids, composites of various crop plants.

Seed technology, its importance. Different kinds of seeds and their seed production and processing techniques. Role of public and private sectors in seed production, processing and marketing in India.

Physiology and its significance in agriculture. Imbibition, surface tension, diffusion and osmosis. Absorption and translocation of water, transpiration and water economy.

Enzymes and plant pigments; photosynthesis-modern concepts and factors affecting the process, aerobic and nonaerobic respiration; C, C and CAM mechanisms. Carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism.

Growth and development; photoperiodism and vernalization. Auxins, hormones, and other plant regulators and their mechanism of action and importance in agriculture. Physiology of seed development and germination; dormancy.

Climatic requirements and cultivation of major fruits, plants, vegetable crops and flower plants; the package of practices and their scientific basis. Handling and marketing problems of fruit and vegetables. Principal methods of preservation of important fruits and vegetable products, processing techniques and equipment. Role of fruits and vegetables in human nutrition. Raising of ornamental plants, and design and layout of lawns and gardens.

Diseases and pests of field vegetables, orchard and plantation crops of India. Causes and classification of plant pests and diseases. Principles of control of plant pests and diseases Biological control of pests and diseases. Integrated pest and disease management. Epidemiology and forecasting.

Pesticides, their formulations and modes of action. Compatibility with rhizobial inoculants. Microbial toxins.

Storage pests and diseases of cereals and pulses, and their control.

Food production and consumption trends in India. National and international food policies. Production, procurement, distribution and processing constraints. Relation of food production to national dietary pattern, major deficiencies of calorie and protein.


1. Consld.er the following statements:
1. Inaia is the largest producer of safflower oil in the world
2. Areawise, India is the largest cultivator of tea in the world Which of the
statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
2. Which one among the following components of soil organic matter is most
resistant to decomposition?
(a) Cellulose (b) Hemicellulose
(c) Starch (d) Lignin
3. Which one of the following is a measure of the net positive charge held on
soil exchange complex?
(a) Anion exchange capacity (b) Cation exchange capacity
(c) Base exchange capacity (d) Electrical conductivity
4. Volatilisation loss of ammonia in soil increases with the increase in:
(a) Calcium carbonate content of soil
(b) Moisture content of soil
(c) Clay content of soil
(d) Cation exchange capacity of soil
5. The deficiency of which one of the following causes Khaira disease?
(a) Copper (b) Iron
(c) Phosphorus (d) Zinc
6. Which one of the following factors is responsible for poor fruit setting in
custard apple?
(a) Dioecious nature (b) Heterostyly
(c) Dichogamy (d) Self-incompatibility
7. Which of the following scientists proposed the Critical Level Concept for
nutrients in soil?
(a) Jackson (b) Cate and Nelson
(c) Stem (d) Schofield
8. Match List I (Nutrient Element) with List II (Source in Soil) and select the
correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List I List II
A Calcium 1. Apatite
B. Nitrogen 2. Dolomite
C. Phosphorus 3. Feldspar
D. Potassium 4. Organics

A B C D A B C D
(a) 2 1 4 3 (b) 3 4 1 2
(c) 3 1 4 2 (d) 2 4 1 3
9. Which one of the following organisms is involved in the formation of N2O?
(a) Thiobacillus ferroxidans (b) Paracoccus denitriiicans
(c) Nitrosomonas europaea (d) Desulfovibrio desulfuiicans
10. Which one of the following is the correct order regarding thermal
conductivity of soils?
(a) Peat > Clay > Loam > Sand (b) Clay > Loam > Sand > Peat
(c) Loam > Sand > Peat > Clay (d) Sand > Loam > Clay > Peat
11. Ammonium fixation in the soil is due to
(a) Microbial assimilation (b) Microbial fixation
(c) Microbial immobilization (d) Soil exchange reaction
12. Which one of the following soil properties does not change by cropping and
cultivation?
(a) Bulk density (b) Particle density
(c) Porosity (d) Permeability
13. Size of the spray drop from a mist sprayer varies from
(a) 1 - 50 µm (b) 50 - 100 µm
(c) 100 - 200 µm (d) 200 - 300 µm
14. Which one of the following is a pest of apple?
(a) Sylepta luna/is (b) Nodostoma subscota/um
(c) Cydia hemidoxa (d) Eriosoma /anigerum
15. Cartap hydrochloride, a contact & stomach poison insecticide is isolated
from
(a) Streptomyces grisea (b) Streptomyces avermiti/is
(c) Lumbriconeseis heteropodo (d) Bacil/us sub/ilis
16. The use of flood jet nozzle is required for
(a) Minimizing the drift of chemicals
(b) Increasing the droplet size
(c) Quick delivery of spray fluid
(d) Better adhesion of spray fluid
17. Consider the following statements:
1. The sequence of nucleotides recognised by a restriction endonuclease is
present in only one strand of DNA, running in 3' - 5' direction.
2. At present, more than a hundred restriction endonucleases have been
discovered.
3. Reverse transcriptase synthesizes DNA using RNA as a template.
Which of the statements given above are correct
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3

18. Where is National Institute of Agriculture Marketing locatd?
(a) Jaipur (b) Kamal
(c) Lucknow (d) Vijayawada
19. With reference to photosynthesis, consider the following statements:
1. Ferridoxin is located in the thylakoid membrane.
2. Phaeophytin is actually a chlorophyll b molecule that does not contain a
magnesium ion.
3. The reactions that break down water and produce oxygen and protons are
located in stroma.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 2 and 3
20. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched
substance Part of the plant yielding substance
(a) Cocaine Leaves
(b) Colchicin Bulb
(c) Digitalin Root
(d) Opium Fruit
21. With reference to flowering plants, consider the following statements:
1. Pollen grains contain auxin.
2. Pollination prevents ovary abscission.
3. Normal seeds synthesise auxins, gibberellins & cytokinins. Which of the
statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
Directions: The following 9 (Nine) items consist of two statements: one labelled as the
'Assertion (A)' and the other as 'Reason (R)'. You are to examine these two statements
carefully and select the answer to these items using the codes given below:
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
22. Assertion (A) : In order to overcome the problems facing Indian agriculture, the
Government of India evolved the Macro Management of
Agriculture by integrating 27 identified schemes.
Reason (R) : As Agriculture is a subject under Concurrent List in the Seventh
Schedule of the Constitution of India, the primary responsibility
for increasing agricultural production rests with the Union Govt.
23. Assertion (A) : Without NAD+, ATP cannot be formed in glycolysis.
Reason (R) : Without NAD+, 3-phosphoglyceraldehyde cannot be oxidized to
1, 3-diphosphoglycerate.
24. Assertion (A) : Ethephon is used to hasten ripening in banana.
Reason (R) : Ethephon releases auxin.

25. Assertion (A) : A change in the ratio of input-prices correspondingly changes
the slope of the iso-cost line.
Reason (R) : The slope of the iso-cost line indicates the ratio of factor-prices.
26. Assertion (A) : Dwarf wheat is always sown shallow compared to tall wheat.
Reason (R) : The coleoptile length is longer if! case of mexican wheat as
compared to tall wheat.
27. Assertion (A) : The rosette habit of cabbage can be changed drastically by the
application of Gibberellic Acid (GA).
Reason (R) : Since Gibberellic Acid helps in cell division and differentiation,
the rosette habit of cabbage is changed.
28. Assertion (A : With reference to soils, isomorphous substitution is an important
mechanism through which negative charges are developed.
Reason (R) : Isomorphous substitution of lower valent ions occurs by higher
valent ions.
29. Assertion (A): The rotating disc aerosol generator is not useful for generating
aerosol of pesticides like pyrethrum.
Reason (R) : Pyrethrum is a heat sensitive pesticide of plant origin.
30. Assertion (A : All young soils are deficient in nitrogen.
Reason (R) : Nitrogen is not a significant component of any type of rock.
31. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?
Crop Important moisture sensitive stage
(a) Rice Panicle initiation, flowering
(b) Sugarcane Germination
(c) Cotton Flowering, boll development
(d) Chillies Flowering
32. Consider the following statements:
1. A gram of guava fruit has more vitamin C than a gram of orange fruit.
2. Papaya does not contain vitamin C.
3. Jack fruit has a digestive enzyme bromelin.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 2 and 3
33. Anti-cancer drug vincristin is obtained from
(a) Piper nigrum (b) Rauwolfia serpentina
(c) Hemidesmus indicus (d) Catharanthus roseus
34. Consider the following statements:
1. All the proteins of mitochondria are encoded by mitochondrial genome.
2. The chloroplast DNA does not code for all chloroplast proteins. Which of the
statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

35. Match List I (Plant) with List II (Propagation) and select the correct answer
using the codes given below the lists:
List I
A. Pineapple
B. Citrus
C Peach
D. Sapota
List II
1. Soft wood cutting
2. Root cutting
3. Budding
3. Sucker
5. Stone grafting
A B C D A B C D
(a) 4 3 2 1 (b) 5 2 3 4
(c) 5 3 2 4 (d) 4 2 3 1
36. Consider the following statements :
1. The strawberry propagates by runners.
2. The chrysanthemum propagates by suckers.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
37. Which one of the following fruit crops is highly susceptible to salinity?
(a) Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
(b) Ber (Zizyphus jujuba)
(e) Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
(d) Almond (Amygdalus communis)
38. Which one of the following is the best test for ripeness of table grapes?
(a) Colour of the fruit
(b) Sweetness and change in seed colour
(c) Softness of the fruit
(d) Ease of separation of grapes from the vines
39. Match List I (Crop) with List II (Cultivar) and select the correct answer
using the codes given below the lists:
List. List II
A. Banana 1. Sonaka
B. Grapes 2. Poovan
C. Carrot 3. Superstar
D. Rose 4. Pusa Kesar
A B C D A B C D
(a) 3 1 4 2 (b) 3 4 1 2
(c) 2 4 1 3 (d) 2 1 4 3
40. Consider the following statements:
1. In Indian agriculture, oil seeds are next to sugarcane in area coverage,
production and value.
2. India's share in the world production of mango is more than 45%.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
41. Which one of the following fruits is good in curing diabetes?
(a) Bel' (Zizyphus jujuba)
(b) Date palm (Phoenix dactyli/era)
(c) Apple (Pyrus malus)
(d) Jamun (Eugenia jambo/ana or Syzygium cumiwi)
42. Consider the following statements:
1. The medicinal plant Glycyrrhiza glabra is a legume.
2. The leaves of Cassia angusti/o/ia are purgative.
43. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
43. Which one of the following chemicals is used to keep the fruits and
vegetables firm?
(a) Calcium chloride (b) Sodium benzoate
(c) Ascorbic acid (d) Sodium chloride
44. Consider the following statements:
1. Sunn hemp is obtained from Crotalaria juncea of family Papilionaceae.
2. Jute (Corchorus capsu/aris) fibres are actually the scelerenchymatous tissue
of secondary phloem.
3. The stem of narcotic plant Cannabis sativa yields fibres used in making ropes
and sacks.
Which of the statements .given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
45. The heat treatment given before canning of vegetables with boiling water or
steam followed by cooling is termed as
(a) Blanching (b) Brining
(c) Clinching (d) Exhausting
46. Consider the following statements:
The causes of deterioration in canned fruit products are
1. Bacteria. 2. Iron salts.
3. Copper salts.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
47. When should the fertilizer be applied to lawn grass?
(a) When it is available at the lowest price
(b) In summer time for cool season grasses
(c) When the grass begins the dormant rest cycle
(d) Just before the beginning of the active growth cycle of the grass

48. With reference to mutagenic agents, consider the following statements:
1. Acridine dyes cause frame shift mutations.
2. Ultraviolet light causes point mutations.
3. Five-bromouracil causes transition mutation.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
49. What is the amount of ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen presence in
25 kg of calcium ammonium nitrate (20 % N)?
(a) 1.5 kg ammonium nitrogen and 3.5 kg nitrate nitrogen
(b) 2.5 kg ammonium nitrogen and 2.5 kg nitrate nitrogen
(c) 3.5 kg ammonium nitrogen and 1.5 kg nitrate nitrogen
(d) 4.5 kg ammonium nitrogen and 0.5 kg nitrate nitrogen
50. Match List I (Disease) with List II (Crop) and select the correct answer
using the codes given below the lists:
List I
A. Late blight
B. Loose smut
C. Blast
D. Fire blight
List II
1. Wheat
2. Potato
3. Pear
4. Rice
A B C D A B C D
(a) 3 4 1 2 (b) 2 4 1 3
(c) 2 1 4 3 (d) 3 1 4 2
51. The interspecific semiochemicals which provide adaptive advantage to the
emitter (producer) species are known as
(a) Allomones (b) Hormones
(c) Kairomones (d) Pheromones
52. In which one of the following crops has the outbreak of woolyaphid been
noticed recently?
(a) Maize (b) Barley
(c) Sugarcane (d) Cotton
53. Agronomic research carried out on farmer's field with active participation
of the farmer is called
(a) On-farm research (b) Adaptive research
(c) Operational research (d) Diversified research
54. Match list I (Weed) with List II (Family) and select the correct answer using
the codes given below the lists:
List I List II
A Parthenium hysterophorus 1. Aizoaceae
B. Trianthema portulacastrum 2. Compositae
C. Eichhornia crassipes 3. Pontederiaceae

A B C A B C
(a) 1 2 3 (b) 3 1 2
(c) 2 3 1 (d) 2 1 3
55. With reference to root hairs of plants, consider the following statements:
1. Root hairs are the extensions of the cortex cells of the root.
2. The cell wall of root hairs acts as a semi-permeable membrane.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
56. The nozzle used to produce fog is
(a) Gaseous energy nozzle
(b) Thermal energy nozzle
(c) Centrifugal energy nozzle
(d) Kinetic energy nozzle
57. The critical stages of irrigation in cotton are
(a) Vegetation and flowering (b) Squaring and flowering
(c) Flowering and boiling (d) Bolling and boll opening
58. Which one of the following is most remunerative in low and farming system?
(a) Rice - Fish culture (b) Rice - Poultry - Fish culture
(c) Rice - Dairy (d) Rice - Silviculture
59. Which one of the following companion cropping systems is most prevalent in
Andaman and Nicobar Islands?
(a) Coconut + Sugarcane (b) Coconut + Maize
(c) Coconut + Black pepper (d) Coconut + Sunflower
60. Which one of the following aphids feeds on pulses?
(a) Rhopalosiphum maidis (b) Myzus persicae
(c) Lipaphis erysimi (d) Aphis cracivora
61. Which of the following is the characteristic of clay particles in the soil?
(a) Less than 0.002 mm in diameter and consist of primary minerals
(b) Less than 0.002 mm in diameter and consist of primary and secondary
minerals
(c) 0.002 to 0.05 mm in diameter and consist of secondary minerals
(d) Less than 0.002 mm in diameter and consist of secondary minerals
62. Consider the following:
1. Buddlea asiatica 2. Duranta plumerii
3. Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)
Which of the above is/are suitable for cut-flower industry?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 3 only

63. Kewada or screwpine (Pandanus), an important aromatic plant, is found in
plenty in
(a) Coastal tracts of Orissa
(b) Sand dunes of Rajasthan
(c) Foothills of Himachal Pradesh
(d) Cold desert of Ladakh
64. The fruit pulp of which one of the following medicinal plants is used as
laxative?
(a) Atropa belladonna (b) Anethum graveolens
(c) Cassia fistula (d) Rauwolfia serpentina
65. Which one of the following pairs is responsible for tundu disease of wheat?
(a) Nematode and Bacterium (b) Bacterium and Fungus
(c) Nematode and Fungus (d) Virus and Nematode
66. In which one of the following characters do mycoplasmas differ from
bacteria?
(a) Reproduction of fission (b) Cell wall
(c) Culture in cell free medium (d) Visibility under optical microscope
67. Which of the following is correct regarding viroid?
(a) RNA containing 50 - 100 base pairs with protein coat
(b) DNA containing 50 - 100 base pairs with protein coat
(c) RNA containing 250 - 400 nucleotides without protein coat
(d) DNA containing 250 - 400 nucleotides without protein coat
68. Match List I (Common Name) with List II (Scientific Name) and select the
correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List I List II
A. Ring nematode 1. Hoplolaimus sp.
B. Spiral nematode 2. Criconemoides sp.
C. Lesion nematode 3. Pratylenchus sp.
D. Lance nematode 4. Helicotylenchus sp.
A B C D A B C D
(a) 1 3 4 2 (b) 2 4 3 1
(c) 1 4 3 2 (d) 2 3 4 1
69. The amount of carbendazim 50% wettable powder required to prepare 1000
ppm solution is
(a) 19 in 1 litre of water (b) 0.1g in 1 litre of water
(c) 2g in 1 litre of water (d) 0.2g in 1 litre of water
70. After initiation of crown gall disease caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens,
its spread and development
(a) Depend on growth and reproduction of bacteria
(b) Depend on auxin production by bacteria
(c) Depend on non-plasmid genome of bacteria
(d) Is independent of bacteria

71. Consider the following statements:
Modern soil classification (taxonomy) is based on
1. Soil morphology 2. Soil genesis
3. Climate of soil formation 4. Age of soil
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1, 2 and 4 (d) 1 and 4
72. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?
(a) Acid soils AI toxicity
(b) Saline alkali soils K toxicity
(c) Water logged soils Methane emission
(d) Sandy soils Nutrient leaching
73. The bushy appearance with dead heart in sugarcane at 6th internode is due
to
(a) Excess irrigation (b) Excess nitrogen
(c) Top borer (d) Mealy bug
74. Which one among the following is the pneumatic sprayer?
(a) Foot sprayer (b) Stirrup sprayer
(c) Hand compression sprayer (d) Rocker sprayer
75. Match List I (Agroclimatic Zones) with List II (Main Strategy of
Development) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the
lists:
List I
A. Lower Gangetic plains
B. Central plateau and hills
C. Western dry region
D. Trans-gangetic plains
List II
1. Reclamation of ravenous area
2. Emphasis on increasing the tree cover
3. Crop diversification
4. Minor irrigation programmes
A B C D A B C D
(a) 3 1 2 4 (b) 4 1 2 3
(c) 3 2 1 4 (d) 4 2 1 3
76. Consider the following statements:
1. For increasing the production of oilseeds/edible oils and to attain selfsufficiency
in their production, a centrally sponsored Oilseeds Production
Programme is being implemented in 28 states.
2. Convergence of Oilseeds Production Programme with Watershed
Development Programme is one of the thrust areas identified for increasing
the production of oilseeds during the Tenth Five Year Plan.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

77. The market equilibrium for an agricultural commodity is determined by
(a) The market demand for the commodity
(b) The market supply of the commodity
(c) The balancing of the forces of demand and supply for the commodity
(d) Imports and exports
78. Consider the following crops:
1. Cereal crops 2. Plantation crops
3. Pulses and oilseeds
Which of the above crops are exempted from enforcement of ceiling on land
holdings?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 3 only
79. Which one of the following structural changes is becoming increasingly
popular in the agricultural marketing system in India?
(a) Integration (b) Specialization
(c) Diversification (d) Decentralisation
80. Consider the following statements:
1. Vacuoles implant cells have single membrane.
2. Mitochondrial DNA lacks histones.
3. Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum is involved in lipid synthesis and membrane
assembly.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
81. Which one of the following refers to inter-regional allocation of agricultural
production credit?
(a) Proportionate number of farmers
(b) Variation in the cost of-production
(c) Proportionate cultivated area
(d) Differential productivity of capital
82. Consider the following statements:
The presence of very large number of middlemen in agricultural marketing could
be attributed to
1. The demand for farm products over a large area.
2. Highly scattered agricultural production.
3. Difficult transportation of agricultural products which also involves special
care.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

83. To produce more output per unit of land, a cultivator will
(a) Resort to diversification
(b) Use land intensively
(c) Use land extensively
(d) Use land intensively as well as extensively
84. Which of the following characterizes co-operative joint farming?
(a) Ownership and cultivation are individual practices
(b) Ownership is individual and the reward is based on the contribution of labour
(c) Cultivation is joint and the reward is based on the contribution of land
(d) Cultivation is joint but the reward is not based on the contribution of land
85. A farm is said to be diversified when
(a) Crop enterprise is mixed with livestock enterprise
(b) Any' one of the enterprises contributes more than 50% of the total income .
(c) None of the enterprises contributes more than 50% of the total income
(d) Crop enterprise is combined with forestry
86. Consider the following statements:
1. The smallest unit of DNA which is capable of undergoing crossing over and
recombination is called cistron.
2. In protein synthesis the enzyme that catalyzes peptide bonding is located in
the smaller subunit of ribosomes.
3. In cell cycle, replication of DNA occurs during G1 phase. Which of the
statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 3 only
87. Which one of the following type of soils is most suitable for groundnut
cultivation?
(a) Sandy and sandy-loam soil (b) Loam and clay soil
(c) Clayey soil (d) Silty soil
88. The concave Production Possibility Curve (PPC) is very common in
agriculture because of
(a) Constant rates of substitution between two products
(b) Increasing rates of substitution between two products
(c) Increasing rates of substitution between two factors
(d) Increasing rates of substitution between two factors and between two
products
89. Scientific name of macaroni wheat is
(a) Triticum aestivum (b) Triticum dicoccum
(c) Triticum duram (d) Triticum vulgare

90. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given
below the lists:
List I (Crop) List II (Variety)
A Castor 1. BR 13
B. Pigeonpea 2. lal Bahadur
C. Maize 3. Kissan
D. Wheat 4. NPH 1
A B C D A B C D
(a) 4 3 1 2 (b) 4 1 3 2
(c) 2 1 3 4 (d) 2 3 1 4
91. Consider the following statements:
1. Muriate of potash is not suitable for sugarcane.
2. Saltpetre contains 65% K20.
3. Single superphosphate contains gypsum.
4. Ammonium phosphates are completely water soluble. Which of the
statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
92. With reference to the food grain cultivation next to Uttar Pradesh, which
one among the following states has the highest irrigated area?
(a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Maharashtra
(c) Punjab (d) West Bengal
93. The Chromosome theory of inheritance was first postulated by
(a) Avery, McCarty and Macleod (b) Frederick Griffith
(c) Morgan and Sturtevant (d) Sutton and Boveri
94. In meiosis, reduction in the number of chromosomes occurs in
(a) Diakinesis (b) Anaphase I
(c) Metaphase I (d) Anaphase II
95. Which one of the following is the correct sequence in the biosynthetic
pathway of Indole Acitic Acid (IAA)?
(a) Tryptophan - Indole pyruvic acid - lndoleacetaldehyde - IAA
(b) Indole pyruvic acid - Indoleacetaldehyde - Tryptophan - IAA
(c) Tryptophan - Indoleacetaldehyde - Indole pyruvic acid - IAA
(d) Indoleacetaldehyde - Indole pyruvic acid - Tryptophan - IAA
96. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?
(a) Cucurbits : Self pollinated
(b) French bean : Self pollinated
(c) Brinjal : Often cross pollinated
(d) Pea : Self pollinated

97. What is RNA splicing?
(a) Termination of RNA synthesis at specific base sequences within the DNA
molecule
(b) The excision of the introns and the formation of final Mrna molecule by
joining the exons
(c) The beginning of transcription as soon as the RNA polymerase-promoter
complex is formed and an appropriate nucleotide binds to the enzyme
(d) Release of newly formed RNA after the termination of transcription
98. Which one of the following phytohormones controls the apical dominance in
plants?
(a) Auxin (b) Cytokinin
(c) Ethylene (d) Giberellin
99. Whi.ch one of the following processes is most adversely affected by the
deficiency of magnesium in plants?
(a) Defoliation
(b) Upward translocation of nutrients
(c) Downward movement of nutrients
(d) Photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism
100. Consider the following amino acids:
1. Cysteine 2. Methionine
3. Glutamic acid
Which of the above contain sulphur?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
101. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?
(a) Copper Plastocyanin
(b) Iron Phytochrome
(c) Magnesium Chlorophyll
(d) Cobalt Vitamin B12
102. With reference to photorespiration in plants, consider the following
statements:
1. With the increase in temperature and oxygen concentration, the affinity of
RuBP carboxylase decreases for CO2 and increase for O2.
2. The peroxisomes present in the cells metabolise glycolate into glycine; and
glycine into serine and CO2.
3. In plants adapted to C4 pathway of photosynthesis to overcome
photorespiratory losses, the CO2 is fixed in mesophyll cells.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3

103. In marigold and sweet pea plants, which one of the following conditions
favours cross pollination?
(a) Dichogamy (b) Herkogamy
(c) Self-sterility (d) Unisexuality
104. Consider the following statements:
1. India imports the entire potassic fertilizers as there is no indigenous source
available.
2. The all-India average fertilizer consumption is 140 kglha.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
105. Which one among the following elements is a component of cell membrane?
(a) Sulphur (b) Zinc
(c) Molybdenum (d) Phosphorus
106. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given
below the lists:
List I (Pest) List II (Crop)
A. San Jose Scale 1. Coconut
B. Stem fly 2. Apple
C. Black headed caterpillar 3. Soy bean
D. Fruit sucking moths 4. Citrus
A B C D A B C D
(a) 4 1 3 2 (b) 4 3 1 2
(c) 2 3 1 4 (d) 2 1 3 4
107. Conversion of N03 - N to N2, NO and N20 is known as
(a) Oxidation (b) Denitrification
(c) Mineralisation (d) Nitrification
108. Consider the following statements:
1. Ethyl methane sulphonate is widely employed in the artificial induction of
polyploidy.
2. Colchicin is used for inducing gene mutations. Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
109. Which one of the following causes a disease in wheat due to which small,
linear or oblong dark brown blotches, studded with minute black dots,
appear on floral bracts and nodal tissues of culms?
(a) Altemaria triticina (b) Dilophosopora rolisli
(c) Helminthosporium sativum (d) Septoria nodorum
1I0. Consic1er the following statements:
Tomato hybrids are becoming popular due to
1. High yield 2. Resistance to insects

3. Uniform fruit size
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
111. Synthetic variety is developed by
(a) Crossing inbred lines tested for GCA
(b) Mixing seeds of inbred lines
(c) Crossing inbred lines tested for SCA
(d) Mixing seeds of open-pollinated cultivars
112. Consider the following statements:
1. In autopolyploids, the time of blooming is earlier and also shortened due to
fast growth rate
2. Fertility level and seed set are very high in induced polyploids.
3. Gossypium hirsutum is an example of amphidiploidy. Which of the
statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 only
(c) 3 only (d) 1 and 3
113. Tift-23A, a cytoplasmic male sterile line, is used for development of hybrids in
(a) Sorghum (b) Maize
(c) Rice (d) Pearl millet
114. Consider the following statements:
Haploids can be artificially produced by
1. X-ray treatment 2. Delayed pollination
3. Anther culture
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1 and 3
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
115. The male sterility used in the development of hybrid wheat has been derived
from
(a) Triticum dicoccum (b) Triticum durum
(c) Triticum timopheevi (d) Triticum monococcum
116. Consider the following statements:
1. All tRNA molecules have guanine residue at 5' end.
2. The amino acid is accepted by tRNA at 3' end only.
3. All tRNA molecules have CCA sequence at 3' end. Which of the statements
given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
117. The Wobble hypothesis regarding genetic code (codons and anticodons) was
proposed by
(a) Nirenberg (b) Leder
(c) Khorana (d) Crick

Il8. Consider the following characters of Pisum sativum :
1. Colour of cotyledon 2. Colour of seed coat
3. Shape of seed 4. Length of pod
Which of the above were taken into account in Mendel’s experiments on
hybridization?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
119. Which one of the following statements is not correct?
(a) Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum is particularly well developed in ceIls
actively engaged in protein synthesis
(b) Ribosomes have large contents of lipids in their compositions
(d) Golgi complex is involved in the formation of cell plate during cell division
(d) In germinating seeds, glyoxysomes convert fatty acids into sugars
120. The development of seed without sexual fusion of male and female gametes
is known as
(a) Vegetative reproduction (b) Apomixis
(c) Self-incompatibility (d) Apospory
ANSWERS - AGRICULTURE - PRELIMS - 2005
1. (c) 2. (d) 3. (b) 4. (a) 5. (d) 6. (c)7. (b) 8. (d) 9. (b) 10. (d) 11. (d) 12. (b)13. (b) 14. (d) 15. (c) 16. (a) 17. (b) 18. (a)19. (a) 20. (c) 21. (d) 22. (c) 23. (a) 24. (c)25. (a) 26. (c) 27. (c) 28. (b) 29. (a) 30. (a)31. (b) 32. (c) 33. .(d) 34. (b) 35. (a) 36. (c)37. (d) 38. (d) 39. (d) 40. (b) 41. (d) 42. (c)43. (a) 44. (d) 45. (a) 46. (d) 47. (d) 48. (d)49. (b) 50. (c) 51. (a) 52. (c) 53. (a) 54. (d)55. (d) 56. (b) 57. (c) 58. (b) 59. (c) 60. (d)61. (d) 62. (d) 63. (a) 64. (c) 65. (a) 66. (b)67. (c) 68. (b) 69. (c) 70. (c) 71. (c) 72. (b)73. (c) 74. (c) 75. (b) 76. (c) 77. (c) 78. (b)79. (a) 80. (d) 81. (b) 82. (d) 83. (b) 84. (c)85. (c) 86. (a) 87. (a) 88. (b) 89. (c) 90. (b)91. (h} 92. (c) 93. (d) 94. (b) 95. (a) 96. (a)97. (b) 98. (a) 99. (d) 100. (a) 101. (b) 102. (c)103. (a) 104 (a) 105. (d) 106. (c) 107. (b) 108. (d)109. (a) 110. (d) 111. (a) 112. (c) 113. (d) 114. (d)115. (c) 116. (d) 117. (d) 118. (a) 119. (b) 120. (b)

Yeah sure here I am sharing the IAS Mains Exam Syllabus of Agriculture

Paper-I

Ecology and its relevance to man, natural resources, their sustainable management and conservation. Physical and social environment as factors of crop distribution and production. Agro ecology; cropping pattern as indicators of environments. Environmental pollution and associated hazards to crops, animals and humans. Climate change International conventions and global initiatives. Green house effect and global warming. Advance tools for ecosystem analysis Remote sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Cropping patterns in different agro-climatic zones of the country. Impact of high-yielding and short-duration varieties on shifts in cropping patterns. Concepts of various cropping and farming systems. Organic and Precision farming. Package of practices for production of important cereals, pulses, oil seeds, fibres, sugar, commercial and fodder crops.

Important features and scope of various types of forestry plantations such as social forestry, agro-forestry, and natural forests. Propagation of forest plants. Forest products. Agro forestry and value addition. Conservation of forest flora and fauna.

Weeds, their characteristics, dissemination and association with various crops; their multiplications; cultural, biological, and chemical control of weeds.

Soil- physical, chemical and biological properties. Processes and factors of soil formation. Soils of India. Mineral and organic constituents of soils and their role in maintaining soil productivity. Essential plant nutrients and other beneficial elements in soils and plants. Principles of soil fertility, soil testing and fertilizer recommendations, integrated nutrient management. Biofertilizers. Losses of nitrogen in soil, nitrogen-use efficiency in submerged rice soils, nitrogen fixation in soils. Efficient phosphorus and potassium use. Problem soils and their reclamation. Soil factors affecting greenhouse gas emission.

Soil conservation, integrated watershed management. Soil erosion and its management. Dry land agriculture and its problems. Technology for stabilizing agriculture production in rain fed areas.

Water-use efficiency in relation to crop production, criteria for scheduling irrigations, ways and means of reducing run-off losses of irrigation water. Rainwater harvesting. Drip and sprinkler irrigation. Drainage of waterlogged soils, quality of irrigation water, effect of industrial effluents on soil and water pollution. Irrigation projects in India.

Farm management, scope, importance and characteristics, farm planning. Optimum resource use and budgeting. Economics of different types of farming systems. Marketing management strategies for development, market intelligence. Price fluctuations and their cost; role of co-operatives in agricultural economy; types and systems of farming and factors affecting them. Agricultural price policy. Crop Insurance.

Agricultural extension, its importance and role, methods of evaluation of extension programmes, socio-economic survey and status of big, small and marginal farmers and landless agricultural labourers. Training programmes for extension workers. Role of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) in dissemination of Agricultural technologies. Non Government Organization (NGO) and self- help group approach for rural development.

Paper-II

Cell structure, function and cell cycle. Synthesis, structure and function of genetic material. Laws of heredity. Chromosome structure, chromosomal aberrations, linkage and cross-over, and their significance in recombination breeding. Polyploidy, euploids and aneuploids. Mutations - and their role in crop improvement. Heritability, sterility and incompatibility, classification and their application in crop improvement. Cytoplasmic inheritance, sex-linked, sex-influenced and sex-limited characters.

History of plant breeding. Modes of reproduction, selfing and crossing techniques. Origin, evolution and domestication of crop plants, center of origin, law of homologous series, crop genetic resources- conservation and utilization. Application of principles of plant breeding, improvement of crop plants. Molecular markers and their application in plant improvement. Pure-line selection, pedigree, mass and recurrent selections, combining ability, its significance in plant breeding. Heterosis and its exploitation. Somatic hybridization. Breeding for disease and pest resistance. Role of interspecific and intergeneric hybridization. Role of genetic engineering and biotechnology in crop improvement. Genetically modified crop plants.

Seed production and processing technologies. Seed certification, seed testing and storage. DNA finger printing and seed registration. Role of public and private sectors in seed production and marketing. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) issues, WTO issues and its impact on Agriculture.

Principles of Plant Physiology with reference to plant nutrition, absorption, translocation and metabolism of nutrients. Soil - water- plant relationship.

Enzymes and plant pigments; photosynthesis- modern concepts and factors affecting the process, aerobic and anaerobic respiration; C3, C4 and CAM mechanisms. Carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism. Growth and development; photoperiodism and vernalilzation. Plant growth substances and their role in crop production. Physiology of seed development and germination; dormancy. Stress physiology draught, salt and water stress.

Major fruits, plantation crops, vegetables, spices and flower crops. Package practices of major horticultural crops. Protected cultivation and high tech horticulture. Post harvest technology and value addition of fruits and vegetables. Landscaping and commercial floriculture. Medicinal and aromatic plants. Role of fruits and vegetables in human nutrition.

Diagnosis of pests and diseases of field crops, vegetables, orchard and plantation crops and their economic importance. Classification of pests and diseases and their management. Integrated pest and disease management. Storage pests and their management. Biological control of pests and diseases. Epidemiology and forecasting of major crop pests and diseases. Plant quarantine measures. Pesticides, their formulation and modes of action.

Food production and consumption trends in India. Food security and growing population vision 2020. Reasons for grain surplus. National and international food policies. Production, procurement, distribution constraints. Availability of food grains, per capita expenditure on food. Trends in poverty, Public Distribution System and Below Poverty Line population, Targeted Public Distribution System (PDS), policy implementation in context to globalization. Processing constraints. Relation of food production to National Dietary Guidelines and food consumption pattern. Food based dietary approaches to eliminate hunger. Nutrient deficiency Micro nutrient deficiency : Protein Energy Malnutrition or Protein Calorie Malnutrition (PEM or PCM), Micro nutrient deficiency and HRD in context of work capacity of women and children. Food grain productivity and food security

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