Botany

Botany Syllabus for UPSC Main Examination

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

from evolutionary 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 Cycada-les, Ginkgoales, Coniferales and Gnetales, their
structure and reproduction; General account of Cycadofilicales, Bennettitales and Cordaitales;
Geological time scale; Type of fossils and their study techniques. Angiosperms: Systematics,
anatomy, embryology, palynology and phylogeny. Taxonomic hierarchy; International Code of
Botanical Nomenclature; Numerical taxonomy and chemotaxonomy; 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, Astera-ceae, 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 development and
function; Patterns of embryo development; Polyembroyony and apomixes; Applications of
palynology; Experimental embryology including pollen storage and test-tube fertilization.

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4. Plant Resource Development: Domestication and introduction of plants; Origin of cultivated
plants; Vavilov’s centres of origin; Plants as sources for food, fodder, fibre, 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 dfferentiation; 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), 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; Gene versus allele
concepts (Pseudoalleles); Quantitative genetics and multiple factors; Incomplete dominance,
polygenic inheritance, multiple alleles; Linkage and crossing over; Methods 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.

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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, ttest and chi-square test);
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 phloem 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; Concept of biosphere; Ecosystems; Conservation;
Pollution and its control (including phytoremediation); Plant indicators; Environment
(Protection) Act. Forest types of India - Ecological and economic importance of forests,
afforestation, deforestation and social forestry; Endangered plants, endemism, IUCN
categories, Red Data Books; Biodiversity and its conservation; Protected Area Network;
Convention on Biological Diversity; Farmers’ Rights and Intellectual Property Rights; Concept of
Sustainable Development; Biogeochemical cycles; Global warming and climatic change; Invasive
species; Environmental Impact Assessment; Phytogeographical regions of India.