State Agricultural Officer

• Unit I: Importance of Agriculture

  5 of 8 topics

  • Importance of Agriculture in Indian Economy and its sectoral relationship
  • Agricultural Development through five year plans in India and Tamil Nadu
  • Growth pattern of crops in India and Tamil Nadu in terms of area, production and productivity
  • Government Agricultural Policies
  • Agricultural development through NITI AAYOG

• Unit II: Fundamentals of Crop Production

  5 of 15 topics

  • Factors of Production
  • Agricultural seasons of India and Tamil Nadu
  • Cropping patterns in India and Tamil Nadu
  • package of practices of different crops
  • Agro-Climatic zones of India and Tamil Nadu and their features

• Unit III: Natural Resource Management

  5 of 26 topics

  • Soil
  • Soil structure
  • Factors influencing soil structure
  • Physical and Chemical properties
  • Effect of nutrient availability and plant growth

• Unit IV: Crop Management & Allied Agricultural Activities

  5 of 16 topics

  • Cropping systems and integrated farming
  • Recycling of agricultural waste
  • Organic manures, green manures, bio fertilizers
  • Balanced usage
  • integrated nutrient management

• Unit V: Crop Improvement

  5 of 16 topics

  • Principles of breeding
  • Breeding methods in self, cross and vegetatively propogated crops
  • Modern tools in crop improvement
  • Heterosis breeding and Hybrid seed production technologies
  • Synthetic and composites

• Unit VI: Seed Science and Technology

  5 of 12 topics

  • Seeds
  • Importance of quality seeds in Agriculture
  • Nucleus, Breeder, foundation, certified and labelled seeds
  • Characterisation of good quality seeds
  • Seed certification techniques and processing in Tamil Nadu

• Unit VII: Crop Protection Principles and Practices

  5 of 14 topics

  • Importance of pest, disease, nematodes and weed management in agriculture
  • categories of pests, diseases, nematodes and weeds
  • pest and disease surveillance and weather forecasting on pest and disease incidence
  • Symptoms of damages, biology and control measures of pest, disease and nematodes of major crops in Tamil Nadu
  • Integrated pest, disease and nematode management in crop production

• Unit VIII: Farm Business and Finance Management

  5 of 17 topics

  • Farm business management
  • Principles of farm business management
  • Types and systems of farms-Classical Production Functions
  • Cost concepts
  • Management of resources

• Unit IX: Agricultural Marketing and Market Intelligence

  5 of 27 topics

  • Marketing
  • Agricultural marketing
  • Market structure
  • Marketing Efficiency
  • Price Spread-Market Integration-Market Risk-Speculation and hedging

• Unit X: Agricultural Extension: Principles and Methods

  5 of 11 topics

  • Extension methods for transfer of technology
  • AV aids-Communication models
  • Use of ICT in transfer of technology-Diffusion and adoption
  • Pre and post independent rural development initiatives: key features, strength and weakness of individual programmes
  • Programme planning and evaluation methods

Showing 50 of 162 topics in this subject.Show all 162 topics →

• Unit I: Fundamentals of Horticulture

  24 topics

  • Scope and importance
  • State, National and Global scenario of horticultural crops
  • Area and production
  • Import and export
  • Nutritive value and Medicinal value of horticultural crops
  • Horticultural zones of Tamil Nadu and India
  • National and regional agencies involved in promotion of horticultural industry in India (NHB, APEDA, Commodity Boards and Government schemes)
  • Classification of horticultural crops
  • Factors limiting horticultural crop production
  • Role of season
  • Soil and climate requirements
  • Physical and chemical properties of soil
  • Climatic factors
  • Light, temperature, photoperiod, relative humidity, rainfall, altitude, microclimate
  • Kitchen gardening
  • Nutrition gardening
  • Truck gardening
  • Market gardening
  • Vegetable forcing
  • Protected and precision horticulture
  • Hydroponics, Aeroponics
  • Nutrient Film Technique
  • Vertical farming
  • Horticulture therapy

• Unit II: Growth and Development of Horticultural Crops

  19 topics

  • Important phases of growth and development
  • Bearing habits
  • Classification of horticultural crops based on life cycle
  • Annual, biennial perennial (woody and herbaceous perennials)
  • Fruitfulness and unfruitfulness
  • External and internal factors associated with unfruitfulness
  • Physiology of flowering, fruit set, ripening and senescence
  • Fruitdrop
  • Causes and control measures
  • Plant growth regulators
  • Functions and role in horticultural crops
  • Bud dormancy
  • Dormancy breaking
  • Parthenocarpy
  • Parthenogenesis
  • Polyembryony
  • Stenospermocarpy
  • Vivipary
  • Apomixis

• Unit III: Propagation of Horticultural Crops

  36 topics

  • Propagation – Definition
  • Establishment of nursery
  • Site selection
  • Tools and implements propagation structures
  • Mist chamber, phytotron
  • Humidifiers
  • Greenhouse
  • Glasshouse
  • Polyhouse
  • Shade net, glass house, poly tunnels, cold frames and hotbeds, pit nursery
  • Media and containers
  • Soil sterilization
  • Sexual propagation – Merits and demerits
  • Crops propagated through seeds
  • Seed viability, longevity, dormancy, germination
  • Pre-sowing treatment – stratification, scarification, seed priming, seed pelleting, seed invigoration, seedling vigour
  • Raised seed bed and pro-tray nursery
  • Asexual propagation – Merits and demerits
  • Methods of vegetative propagation
  • Identification of plus trees
  • Mother block, scion bank
  • Clonal nursery
  • Chimeras
  • Cutting
  • Layering
  • Grafting, budding types
  • Anatomical and physiological basis of grafting
  • Stock scion relationship, graft compatibility Budwood selection and certification
  • Top working and after care
  • Propagation through specialized plant parts (bulbs, tubers, offsets, runners, suckers, slip, crown, rhizomes, corms)
  • Quality management and nursery certification
  • Micro propagation – Application – infrastructure requirements
  • Types of media
  • Stages of micro propagation
  • Micro grafting
  • in vitro propagation of important horticultural crops

• Unit IV: Management Techniques for Horticultural Crops

  35 topics

  • Planning
  • Layout and management of orchards
  • Fencing
  • Wind breaks and shelter beds
  • Spacing
  • Planting system
  • Physical and chemical properties
  • Soil reaction – acid, saline and alkaline soils
  • Soil fertility
  • Essential elements – Functions
  • Organic manures and inorganic fertilizers, Water soluble fertilizers
  • Bio-fertilizers, vermicomposting
  • Applications and management
  • Nutrient deficiencies and corrective measures
  • Physiological disorders and remedies
  • Irrigation, micro irrigation and maintenance
  • Critical stages of water requirement
  • Effect of water stress on crop yield
  • Anti-transpirants
  • management of irrigation water quality
  • Conventional and micro irrigation
  • Fertigation
  • Mulching
  • Sod culture
  • Weed management
  • Application growth regulators
  • Training and pruning principles and methods
  • Rejuvenation of senile and old orchards
  • Cropping systems
  • Cover cropping
  • Multitier cropping
  • Intercropping
  • Special horticultural techniques (pinching, thinning, disbudding, blanching, smudging, notching, ringing)
  • Principles of organic horticulture
  • GAP and GMP

• Unit V: Production Technology of Fruit Crops

  22 topics

  • Scope and importance of fruit crops
  • Composition and uses
  • Origin and distribution
  • Species
  • Season
  • Climate and soil requirement
  • Varieties and hybrids
  • Propagation techniques
  • Planting systems and planting density including High density planting (HDP) and ultra high-density planting (UHDP)
  • spacing
  • Water and nutrient management
  • Fertigation
  • Weed management
  • Canopy management
  • Training and pruning
  • Intercultural practices
  • Off season production
  • Special horticultural techniques
  • Use of plant growth regulators
  • Maturity indices
  • Harvest and yield
  • Nutrient deficiencies and physiological disorders and its corrective measures and management of important pest and diseases of important fruit crops :- Mango, Banana, Acidlime, Sweet orange, Mandarin, Grapes, Papaya, Guava, Sapota, Pineapple, Jackfruit, Pomegranate, Aonla, Annona, Ber, Sweet tamarind, Jamun, Fig, Apple, Pear, Plum, Peach, Strawberry, Litchi, Avocado, Carrisa, West Indian Cherry, Date Palm, Phalsa, Bael, Wood apple, Rose apple, Bread fruit, Bilimbi, Durian, Carambola, Mangosteen, Loquat, Passion fruit, Rambutan, Pumelo, Grape fruit, Cherries, Currants, Apriocot, Perssimon, Olive, Pecanut, Chestnut, Hazelnut, Kiwi, Pistachionut, macadamianut, Walnut and Almond and minor tropical, arid and temperate fruit crops

• Unit VI: Production Technology of Vegetable Crops

  28 topics

  • Scope and importance of vegetable crops
  • Composition and uses
  • Origin and distribution
  • Area and production
  • Soil and climatic requirements
  • Varieties and hybrids
  • Propagation methods
  • Seed rate
  • Sowing and nursery practises
  • Containerized seedling production
  • Season
  • Planting methods
  • Water, nutrient and weed management
  • Fertigation
  • Training for vegetables
  • Intercultural practices
  • Maturity indices
  • Harvest and yield
  • Nutrient deficiencies and physiological disorder and its corrective measures of important vegetable crops: Tomato, Brinjal, Chilli and Capsicum (Sweet Pepper), Bhendi, Leguminous vegetables (Beans, Peas, Cluster beans, Cowpea, Dolichos bean)
  • Bulbous vegetables (Onion, Garlic)
  • Tuber crops - (Potato, Tapioca, Sweet potato, Elephant foot yam, Dioscorea, Chinese potato, Colacassia)
  • Cucurbitaceous vegetables (Cucumber, Bitter gourd, Snake gourd, Ridge gourd, Ash gourd, Musk melon, Water melon, Pumpkin)
  • Cruciferous vegetables (Cabbage, Cauliflower, Knol khol, Brussels sprout, Sprouting broccoli and Chinese Cabbage)
  • Root vegetables (Carrot, Radish, Beetroot, Turnip)
  • Leafy vegetables (Spinach, Lettuce, Palak, Amaranthus, Agathi and Asparagus)
  • Perennial vegetables (Drumstick, Coccinea)
  • Protected cultivation of vegetable crops
  • Precision farming of important vegetable crops and seed production

• Unit VII: Floriculture & Landscape Gardening

  41 topics

  • Scope and importance of flower crops production
  • Uses
  • Origin and distribution
  • Area and production
  • Climate and soil requirement
  • Species and varieties
  • Propagation, season
  • Spacing and planting methods
  • Irrigation, nutrient management
  • Fertigation
  • Weed management
  • Training and pruning
  • Intercultural operations
  • Special horticultural techniques
  • Growth regulators
  • Off season production
  • Maturity indices
  • Harvest and yield and management of important pest and diseases for important loose flower crops: Jasmine, Rose, Tuberose, Chrysanthemum, Marigold, Nerium, Ixora and Crossandra
  • Cut flowers
  • Rose, Carnation, Anthurium, Orchid, Lilium and Gerbera
  • Cutfoliage and fillers
  • Principles of Landscape designing
  • Styles of gardening
  • Types of gardening viz., Hindu, English, Mughal, Japanese, Persian, Italian, French gardening Garden components
  • Trees foliage flowering and avenue trees
  • Burlapping
  • Shrubs
  • Hedge and edge plants
  • Flowering annuals creepers and Climbers
  • Cacti and succulents Lawn
  • Types of grasses
  • Layout, planting and maintenance of lawn
  • Indoor plants and interior scaping
  • Garden adornments
  • Principles and styles of flower arrangements
  • Bonsai styles and culture
  • Industrial, Institutional, Public and Private landscaping
  • Special types of gardening
  • Kokedama, tray, terrarium, roof and vertical gardening
  • Computer Aided Designs for Landscaping
  • AUTOCAD garden design

• Unit VIII: Production Technology of Spices and Plantation Crops

  27 topics

  • Scope and Importance of spices and plantation crops
  • Composition and uses
  • Origin and distribution
  • Area and production
  • Climate and soil requirements
  • Species and varieties
  • Season, seed rate / Vegetative propagation methods
  • Spacing
  • Planting systems
  • High density planting (HDP)
  • Ultra High Density Planting (UHDP)
  • Irrigation and nutrient management
  • Fertigation
  • Weed management
  • Training and pruning
  • Cropping systems
  • Multitier cropping
  • Cover cropping
  • Inter cropping
  • Growth regulators
  • Mulching
  • Shade trees and canopy regulation
  • Maturity indices, harvest, yield and management of important pests and diseases
  • Processing methods of important plantation and spice crops: Major spices, seed spices, tree spices, herbal spices and minor spices
  • Black Pepper, Cardamom, Turmeric, Ginger, Curry leaf, Clove, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Coriander, Fenugreek, Cumin, Tamarind, Allspice and Vanilla
  • Plantation crops
  • Tea, Coffee, Rubber, Cocoa, Coconut, Oilpalm, Cashew, Palmyrah and Arecanut

• Unit IX: Production Technology of Medicinal and Aromatic Crops

  31 topics

  • Scope and importance of medicinal and aromatic crops
  • Composition and uses
  • Origin and distribution
  • Area and Production
  • Ex situ and in situ conservation
  • Classification of medicinal and aromatic crops
  • Constraints in medicinal plants cultivation
  • Climate and soil
  • Varieties
  • Propagation
  • Nursery practices
  • Planting methods
  • Cropping systems
  • Manures and Fertilizers
  • Irrigation
  • Intercultural operations
  • Harvest indices
  • Harvest and yield
  • Management of important pests and diseases
  • Production systems
  • Contract farming
  • Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
  • Good Cultivation Practices (GCP)
  • Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
  • Organic production and certification
  • Classification and distillation methods of essential oils
  • Secondary metabolite production
  • Value addition
  • Organisational support for promotion of medicinal and aromatic crops
  • Medicinal crops: Senna, Periwinkle, Glory lily, Aswagandha, Medicinal coleus and Solanum, Sweet flag, Aloe, Isabgol, Phyllanthus, Stevia, Opium poppy
  • Aromatic crops: Lemon grass, Citronella, Vetiver, Ocimum, Davana, Mint, Geranium, Patchouli and Eucalyptus

• Unit X: Post-Harvest Technology of Horticultural Crops

  20 topics

  • Importance of Post-harvest handling in horticultural crops
  • Maturity indices
  • Postharvest handling methods
  • Ripening chambers
  • Washing
  • Grading
  • Waxing
  • Grades and standards
  • Methods of packing
  • Types of containers and their advantages and disadvantages
  • Storage - Principles and methods of refrigerated storage
  • Storage methods
  • Pre-cooling
  • Controlled Atmospheric Storage (CAS), Modified Atmospheric Storage (MAS)
  • Low pressure storage and cold chain concept
  • Importance and scope of processing industries in India
  • General principles of fruit and vegetable preservation like canning, dehydration, freezing, fermentation
  • Use of chemicals (preservatives) and irradiation
  • Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
  • Food safety and quality control

Showing all 283 topics in this subject.Show fewer topics

• Unit I: Crop Production Principles and Practices

  5 of 6 topics

  • Weather and crop production
  • Agro – ecological zones and geographical distribution of crop plants in Tamil Nadu Cropping systems
  • different types and their importance in food production
  • Package of Practices followed for field crops and cropping systems in Tamil Nadu
  • Automation and Drone application in Agriculture

• Unit II: Water and Weed Management

  5 of 10 topics

  • Water Management
  • Integrated water management
  • Common area management
  • Different efficiencies in irrigation management
  • Irrigation management under constraints of irrigation water

• Unit III: Cropping Systems and their Management

  5 of 11 topics

  • Tillage and Dry land agriculture
  • Tillage Management under wet and dry land agriculture water harvesting techniques
  • Technologies for increasing agricultural production in rainfed agriculture
  • Agroforestry
  • Waste land development: Problems and Prospects in Tamil Nadu

• Unit IV: Soil Management for Sustainable Agriculture

  5 of 15 topics

  • Soil types of Tamil Nadu and their important physio-chemical properties and their management
  • Problem soils Management
  • Soil fertility management
  • Integrated Nutrient Management
  • Soil fertility evaluation

• Unit V: Seed Production-Principles, Practices and Policies

  5 of 16 topics

  • Seed production in Vegetatively propagated crops
  • Seed processing
  • Dormancy Seed treatment
  • Seed pelleting
  • Seed Certification

• Unit VI: Principles and Practices in Crop Improvement and Crop Biotechnology

  5 of 10 topics

  • Germplasm
  • crop genetic resources
  • Methods of breeding
  • Innovative breeding methods such as Mutation breeding
  • Transgenic technology and applications

• Unit VII: Principles and Practices in Pest Management

  5 of 17 topics

  • Pest - Definition
  • categories of pests including invasive pests
  • Pests control and pest management -- natural, artificial
  • IPM
  • Principles, components and integration

• Unit VIII: Principles and Practices in Plant Disease Management

  5 of 9 topics

  • Bacterial, fungal and viral diseases in major crops
  • Disease Surveillance
  • Assessment and forecasting integrated disease management for important plants
  • Integrated Disease management
  • Role of antagonistic organisms

• Unit IX: Farming Systems and Management

  5 of 12 topics

  • Farming systems-Integrated farming systems
  • Farm planning and budgeting
  • Farm business management
  • Farm management-principles and decision making Management of resources - land, labour, capital and machinery
  • Farm financial management

• Unit X: Transfer of Technology

  5 of 6 topics

  • Use of modern agricultural information systems
  • ICT for effective Transfer of technology
  • importance of transfer of technology in agricultural development
  • Principles of farm journalism
  • participatory technology development

Showing 50 of 112 topics in this subject.Show all 112 topics →

Topics pending official syllabus normalization.

• Unit I: General Science

  5 of 14 topics

  • Scientific knowledge and scientific temper
  • Power of reasoning
  • Rote learning vs conceptual learning
  • Science as a tool to understand the past, present and future
  • Nature of universe

• Unit II: Geography of India

  5 of 21 topics

  • Location
  • Physical features
  • Monsoon, rainfall, weather and climate
  • Water resources
  • Rivers in India

• Unit III: History, Culture of India and Indian National Movement

  5 of 17 topics

  • Indus Valley Civilization
  • Guptas, Delhi Sultans, Mughals and Marathas
  • Age of Vijayanagaram and Bahmani Kingdoms
  • South Indian History
  • National Renaissance

• Unit IV: Indian Polity

  5 of 20 topics

  • Constitution of India
  • Preamble to the Constitution
  • Salient features of the Constitution
  • Union, State and Union Territory
  • Citizenship, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties, Directive Principles of State Policy

• Unit V: Indian Economy and Development Administration in Tamil Nadu

  5 of 30 topics

  • Nature of Indian Economy
  • Five-year plan models - an assessment
  • Planning Commission and Niti Aayog
  • Sources of revenue
  • Reserve Bank of India

• Unit VI: History, Culture, Heritage and Socio-Political Movements in Tamil Nadu

  4 of 11 topics

  • History of Tamil Society, related archaeological discoveries, Tamil literature from Sangam age till contemporary times
  • Thirukkural – Significance as a secular literature
  • Relevance to everyday life, Impact of Thirukkural on humanity, Thirukkural and universal values
  • Relevance to Socio-politico-economic affairs, Philosophical content in Thirukkural

Showing 29 of 113 topics in this subject.Show all 113 topics →

• Unit I: Aptitude

  4 of 10 topics

  • Simplification
  • Percentage
  • Highest Common Factor (HCF)
  • Lowest Common Multiple (LCM)

• Unit II: Reasoning

  4 of 6 topics

  • Logical reasoning
  • Puzzles
  • Dice
  • Visual reasoning

Showing 8 of 16 topics in this subject.Show all 16 topics →