I have cleared IAS Preliminary Exam conducted by UPSC. I have selected Botany for Main exam. I need its syllabus to start preparation. So will you please give detailed syllabus of Botany Subject of IAS Mains Exam of UPSC?

As you are looking for syllabus of Botany subject of IAS Mains Exam conducted by UPSC, so here I am providing following syllabus:

UPSC IAS Main Exam Botany Syllabus

UPSC MAINS BOTANY PAPER SYLLABUS PAPER – I

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.

Cryptogams: Algae, fungi, lichens, bryophytes, pteridophytes – structure and
reproduction from evolutionary viewpoint; Distribution of Cryptogams in
India and their ecological and economic importance.

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.

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.

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.



UPSC MAINS BOTANY PAPER SYLLABUS PAPER – II

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.

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.

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.

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; Employment News 31
May – 6 June 2014 emp-news-intro 29 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.

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.