Agriculture & Rural Development Core Topics and
Subtopics
🔹 Core Static Areas (Highest Weightage Topics)
1. Soil & Water Conservation – soil types, fertility, erosion control, watershed management
2. Animal Husbandry & Poultry – livestock breeds, dairy, poultry production
3. Plantations & Horticulture – fruit/vegetable crops, plantation crops, floriculture
4. Agronomy (Field Crops) – cereals, pulses, oilseeds, package of practices
5. Farming/Cropping Systems – intercropping, mixed farming, organic/precision farming
6. Forestry – social/agro-forestry, forest conservation
🔹 Moderate & Low-Weightage Topics
● Irrigation, farm mechanization
● Agrometeorology, seed technology, extension, fisheries
● Least-asked: agronomic practices, agricultural economics, ecology, climate change,
general rural development
🔸 Crop Production & Agronomy
● Major Field Crops: Rice, wheat, maize, pulses (lentils, gram, mung), oilseeds (mustard,
groundnut, soybean)
○ Sowing, fertilizer, pest management, yield
● Cropping Patterns/Systems: Rotation, intercropping, relay cropping
○ HYV impact, multiple/precision/organic farming
● Agronomic Practices: Tillage, INM, weed control, green manure
● Seed Science: Seed classes, dormancy, certification, SRR
● Soil-Plant Relationships: NPK cycles, soil testing, liming
🔸 Horticulture & Plantation Crops
● Fruits & Vegetables: Mango, citrus, banana, grapes, potato, onion
○ Protected cultivation, value addition
● Plantation Crops: Tea, coffee, rubber, coconut, oil palm, spices
○ Processing, research institutes (CIMAP)
● Floriculture & Medicinal Plants: Landscaping, tissue culture, hybrids
🔸 Soil Science & Water Management
● Soil Properties: Types, texture, pH, erosion, reclamation
● Soil Fertility: Nutrient cycles, biofertilizers, effluents
● Water Conservation: Watershed management, rainwater harvesting
● Irrigation: Drip, sprinkler, PMKSY, major dams, drainage
🔸 Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Fisheries
● Livestock: Breeds (Gir, Shahiwal), gestation, dairy stats
● Poultry: Egg/mutton production, vaccination
● Fisheries: Blue Revolution, aquaculture, PMMSY
● Sericulture & Apiculture: Muga, Honey Mission
🔸 Agricultural Engineering & Technology
● Machinery: Tractor, ploughs, drills, harvesters
● Irrigation Tech: Drip/sprinkler, solar pumps
● Storage & Energy: Cold storage, biogas
● Farm Structures: Greenhouses, polyhouses
🔸 Agricultural Economics, Marketing & Co-operatives
● Price & Markets: MSP, e-NAM, APMC, APEDA
● Finance: KCC, NABARD, RIDF, RRBs, SHGs, Mudra, CGTMSE
● Insurance: PMFBY, NAIS, subsidies
● Food Security: NFSA, PDS, NSFM
● Statistics: Landholding, GDP share, diversification index
🔸 Agricultural Extension & Rural Development
● Extension: KVKs, ATMA, NGOs, ICT
● Rural Schemes: MGNREGA, NRLM, DDUGKY, PMAY-G
● Livelihoods: SHG/JLG, skill missions, FPOs
● Infrastructure: PMGSY, e-Gram, KUSUM
● Institutions: Panchayats, DRDAs, DTCs
🔸 Genetics, Breeding & Biotechnology
● Genetics: Mendel, hybridization, cytoplasmic inheritance
● Biotech: GM crops, DNA fingerprinting, IPR
● Seed Tech: Certification, storage, production
🔸 Plant Protection
● Pests & Diseases: Rice borer, whitefly, IPM
● Pesticides: Formulations, safety, quarantine
● Post-Harvest: Storage pest control
🔸 Environment, Ecology & Climate Change
● Ecology: Agro-ecology, biodiversity, conservation
● Climate Change: GHGs, resilient practices, Rio/UNFCCC
● Renewable Energy: Remote sensing, organic farming
🔸 ARD Current Affairs & Schemes
● Schemes: PMFBY, PM Kisan, PMKSY, SHC, APEDA
● Reports: Agri Census, Livestock Census, Economic Survey
● Policy: Budget updates, Ujjwala, KUSUM
● Facts: Panchayat Day, SHG milestones, NRETP
🔸 Emerging Trends (Expected)
● Climate-smart agriculture
● Hi-tech/precision farming
● Seed bill, biotech
● Agri-startups, digital platforms
● SDG integration, Rurban Mission
