TNPSC Mains Syllabus for Optional Subject: Botany
UNIT – I: PHYCOLOGY, MYCOLOGY & LICHENOLOGY
Phycology - Fritsch's classification of Algae - pigmentation - Thallus organization – Life cycles- patterns of Algae - Evolutionary trends in the Sexulity of Algae – Economic importance - Algae as food, fodder, fertilizer and medicines - phytoplanktons and their role.
Mycology - Classification of fungi (Alexopoulos and Mims 1979) - structure, reproduction and economic importance of Phycomycetes, Ascomyates, Basidiomycetes and Deuteromyates.
Lichenology - structure, reproduction and economic importance of lichens.
UNIT- II : BRYOLOGY AND PTERIDOLOGY
Byrophytes - General characteristics, structure; reproduction and alternation of generations. Pteridophytes - General characteristics - Psilopsida, Lycopsida,
Sphenopsida and Pteropsida - Stelar organisation - origin of heterospory and seed habit.
UNIT –III: GYMNOSPERMS AND PALEOBOTANY
A comparative account of vegetative and reproductive structure of Cycadales, Coniferales and Gnetales - Structure of wood in Gymnosperm - Economic importance of Gymnosperms – Paleobotany, Geological Time Scale - Fossilization methods – Fossil types.
UNIT- IV: ANGIOSPERM MORPHOLOGY, TAXONOMY AND ECONOMIC BOTANY
Root and Stem modification in relation to habitat. Infloresence: Raceme, Cyme and Special types
Pollination – Types, Agents (Biotic and Abiotic) and contrivances promoting cross pollination.
Taxonomy - Angiosperm Classification - Bentham and Hooker's system – International code of Botanical Nomenclature (outline).
Characteristics features and Economic importance of the following families:-
1) Magnoliaceae
2) Rutaceae
3) Anacardiaceae
4) Leguminosae
5) Asteraceae
6) Apiaceae
7) Euphorbiaceae
8) Arecaceae
9) Poaceae
Economic Botany of Plants yielding wood timber, fibre, oil and medicines.
UNIT- V: ANATOMY AND EMBRYOLOGY
Anatomy:- Meristems and types. Permanent tissues, Simple and Complex tissues -
Normal and Abnormal secondary thickening.
Embryology:- Microsporogenesis, Megasporogenesis - types of embryo sacs (Mono-biand tetrasporic). Double fertilization and Triple fusion, Types of Endosperm – Embryo development in Dicots and Monocots. Apomixis and Polyembryony Culture techniques - anther and embryo.
UNIT –VI : GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY AND PLANT PATHOLOGY
Morphology, reproduction and economic importance of Bacteria. Viruses - Bacteriophages, Cyanophages, Mycophages, their general structures and multiplication.
Mycoplasma - Structure. Fermentation and Antibiotic production.
Plant Pathology:- Name of the causative organism, etiology and control measures of the following plant diseases.
1) Blast of Paddy
2) Wilt of Cotton
3) Citrus Canker
4) Powdery Mildew
5) Red rot of Sugarcane
6) Little leaf of Brinjal
7) Bunch Top of Banana
8) Early and late Blights of Potato
9) Rust and Smut diseases.
UNIT – VII: PHYSIOLOGY, BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS
Physiology:- Water relations of plants - absorption and translocation of water and minerals - mineral nutrition - Photosynthesis, Photochemical reactions and carbon fixation pathways – Respiratory metabolism: aerobic and anaerobic respiration.
Enzymes: Role as biocatalysts - Nitrogen Metabolism: Nitrogen cycle - Nitrogen fixation
- Nitrate reduction. Plant growth substances chemical nature and physiological functions of auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, ethylene, abscissic acid and Brassinosteroids.
Biochemistry and Biophysics
Biopolymers: A brief account of Carbohydrates, Lipids,Proteins and Nucleic acids and their monomers. An elementary account of thermodynamics - definition of energy - structure and role of ATP.
UNIT – VIII: CYTOLOGY, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION
Cytology: Organization of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells. Cell organelles – structure and function. Chromosomes: morphology structure and their role. Cell division: Mitosis and Meiosis.
Genetics: Medelism - Interaction factors - linkage and crossing over, multiple, alleles, mutation, structure, replication and role of nucleic acids.
Evolution: Origin of life: Theories of evolution Darwin, Lamarck and De Vries.
UNIT –IX: ECOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
Ecology: Ecosystem concept - Plant communities: Hydrophytes, Xerophytes,
Mangroves. Plant sucession primary and secondary - Climax formation.
Environment: water, air and land, Garbage disposal, Environmental Protection
Agencies, Pollution monitoring and control.
Ecosystem: Components and functions – Global warming, Green house effect, Ozone
Layer Depletion
Conservation Biology: Conservation and sustainable development/ Productivity of Soil, forests and natural resources.
UNIT-X: HORTICULTURE AND PLANT BREEDING
Horticulture: Importance and scope of Horticulture, Classification of Horticultural Plants
- Fruits, Vegetables and Ornamentals.
Garden design and types:- Rockery, Bonsai, Kitchen garden, Lawn making, Floriculture.
Cultivation of Commercial Flowers – Jasmine; plant propagation methods - cutting, grafting, layering (Rose) budding, stock - scion relations in Mango,
Plant Breeding: Hybridization techniques Plant breeding methods employed in the following crops:-
1) Cotton
2) Sugarcane
3) Paddy
