Kerala PSC Agricultural Officer Syllabus 2022, AO Exam Pattern & Syllabus Download Here: The Kerala Public Service Commission has Declared the Exam pattern and Exam Syllabus for Agricultural Officer on the Official Website @ keralapsc.gov.in. Candidates who applied and waiting for the exam can download the syllabus and Exam Pattern pdf to prepare for the Kerala PSC Agricultural Officer. For more information candidates can read the entire article.

Kerala PSC Agricultural Officer Syllabus 2022

Kerala PSC AO Exam Pattern 2022

The Kerala Public Service Commission Released the exam pattern for the Agricultural Officer applied candidates can check and prepare well for the Kerala PSC AO examination.

Agricultural Officer Syllabus 2022 Kerala PSC

PART _I -CROP PRODUCTION
Module 1: AGRONOMY
Agronomy – scope, seeds and sowing, tillage and tilth, crop density, and geometry. Classification of crops – agronomic, botanical, ontogenic. Growth and development of crops, factors affecting growth and development, crop rotation and its principles, adaptation, and distribution of crops. Crop nutrition essential nutrients – criteria of essentiality, classification, functions, and deficiencies – manures and fertilizers – nutrient use efficiency – fertilizer calculations. Specialty fertilizers – 100 percent water-soluble, fortified, customized, slow-release fertilizers, nitrification inhibitors. Biological nitrogen fixation – biofertilizers. Weeds – importance, classification, invasive weeds of Kerala, crop weed competition, allelopathy, concepts of weed management – principles and methods, herbicides – classification, selectivity and resistance, allelopathy. Herbicide calculations, calibration of sprayers, and spraying specifications for herbicides. Integrated weed management in rice, banana, coconut. Agriculture –scope- Importance of agriculture and agricultural resources available in India; Farming system components – Cropping system and pattern, multiple cropping system-Sustainable agriculture problems and its impact on agriculture, indicators of sustainability, adaptation, and mitigation, conservation agriculture strategies, HEIA, LEIA, and LEISA, ecological principles of LEISA. Homestead farming system. Economic importance – soil and climatic requirements – area and production – varieties – seed rate spacing – methods of sowing/planting -manurial schedule- cultural practices and yield of major field crops of Kerala, viz, rice, tuber crops (cassava, sweet potato, yams, and aroids), sugarcane, pulses, groundnut, sesamum and fodder crops, viz., guinea and hybrid Napier.Irrigation- Water management of principal crops of Kerala.- Water resources and irrigation development in India and Kerala. Soil moisture constants-Evapotranspiration, potential evapotranspiration and consumptive use, Reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo)- Crop coefficient (Kc)- Kc values for different crops. Main empirical methods of calculation of ETo- Effective rainfall, the Water requirement of crops- Scheduling irrigation– Methods of irrigation-.Surface, subsurface, overhead and micro irrigations. Irrigation efficiency- Water productivity and water use efficiency- Agricultural drainage-causes of waterlogging and types of drainage. Quality of irrigation water. Agroecology of Kerala – agro-ecological zones and agro-ecological units, monsoon in Kerala, cropping seasons of Kerala. Rainfed agriculture – dry farming, dryland farming, rainfed farming. Drought – classification, drought adaptation mechanisms in crops, drought management in major crops of Kerala. Watershed – types –characteristics and management.
MODULE 2: SOIL SCIENCE & AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY
Soil-Pedological and edaphological concepts. Weathering – soil formation – factors and processes – soil profile. Soil physical properties – soil texture – soil consistency – soil crusting-bulk density and particle density of soils and porosity – their significance and manipulation- Soil compaction – Soil colour. Soils of India – geological processes and formations – characterization of soils of Kerala. Soil colloids – properties – nature – types and significance. Layer silicate clays – their genesis and sources of charges. Adsorption of ions – ion exchange – CEC and AEC – Concept of pH – soil acidity – saline, sodic and calcareous soils. Soil organic matter – composition – decomposability – humus – fractionation of organic matter. Carbon cycle – C: N ratio. Soil biology – biomass – soil organisms and their beneficial and harmful roles. Soil fertility evaluation – soil testing – rating of soil fertility (organic carbon, major, secondary and micronutrients). Problem soils of Kerala – characteristics, problems and management/reclamation; Salt affected soils- Arid soils -Acid soils- submerged soilsEroded soils-Acid sulphate soils-Degraded soils. Organic farming and food security- Tools and practices of organic farming. Organic certification – accreditation agencies, certification agencies, NSOP, NPOP. Precision agriculture: Geo-informatics- GIS and Remote sensing concepts application in agriculture-Global positioning system (GPS), components and its functions.Nanotechnologydefinition, concepts and techniques, nano-particles, nano-pesticides, nano-fertilizers, nano-sensors
PART II- CROP PROTECTION
Module 3 : AGRICULTURAL ENTOMOLOGY
Categories of pests of agriculture -Economic classification of insects- External Morphology, Anatomy and general Physiology, structure and function of digestive, circulatory, respiratory, excretory, reproductive, endocrine, exocrine, nervous systems and sense organs. Types of metamorphosisIntegrated Pest Management: Principles of IPM, concept of economic threshold and economic injury levels, tools of IPM -. Basic concept of host plant resistance. Biocontrol of pests -Microbial controlRegulatory control- plant quarantine and phytosanitory certificate. Pesticides: Insecticide act and rules. Newer trends in insect pest management – pheromones, Insect Growth Regulators, Chitin synthesis Inhibitors, biotechnological methods. Distribution, bioecology, nature and symptoms of damage and management strategies of major insect pests of Field crops: rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, ragi, sugarcane, cotton and oil seeds – groundnut, sesamum, castor, sunflower and mustard, pulses.Vegetable crops: solanaceous ,cruciferous , leafy vegetables polyhouse vegetables; tuber crops , fruit crops,plantation crops,ornamentals,medicinal and aromatic plants and stored products pests. Economically important insects – silkworms, lac insects, pollinators, predators, parasites, weed killers, soil builders, scavengers and insects used for scientific investigation. Damage in major crops and management of nematodes, mites, rodents, birds, molluscs (snail).
Module 4: PLANT PATHOLOGY
Importance of plant diseases-. Important plant pathogenic organisms- Fungi, bacteria, fastidious vascular bacteria, virus, viroids, phytoplasma, spiroplasma, algae, protozoa, nematodes, phanerogamic parasites. Diseases due to abiotic /biotic causes: Causes/ factors affecting disease developmentdisease triangle and tetrahedron.Fungi-.Bacteria-Viruses and mollicutes-Morphology, classification, reproduction, transmission, dispersal and survival. Categories of diseases-IDM; Epidemiology: Factors affecting disease development. Principles and methods of plant disease managementsymptoms, etiology, disease cycle and management of diseases of rice, wheat, sugarcane, groundnut, pulses, vegetables, tubers, citrus, mango, banana, grapevine, pineapple, papaya, guava, sapota, cashew, apple, coconut, arecanut, cocoa, black pepper, ginger, cardamom, tree spices, oil palm, betelvine, coffee, tea, rubber and ornamentals.Methods of control: Host plant resistance, cultural, mechanical, physical, legislative, biological and chemical control. Survey, surveillance and forecasting of diseases.Development and validation of IDM module- IDM programmes in cereals, vegetables, pulses, tuber crops,spices and plantation crops and ornamentals.
Part III: CROP IMPROVEMENT
Module 5: PLANT BREEDING AND GENETICS
Heredity, Mendelian principles of heredity, Cell division –.Mutation, classification, Methods of inducing mutation & CIB technique, mutagenic agents and induction of mutation. Qualitative & Quantitative traits, Polygenes and continuous variations, multiple factor hypothesis, Domestication, Acclimatization, Multiline concept. Hardy-Weinberg Law, Genetic basis and methods of breeding cross pollinated crops, modes of selection; Heterosis and inbreeding depression, development of inbred lines and hybrids, composite and synthetic varieties. Major breeding objectives for crop improvement and procedures including conventional and modern innovative approaches for development of hybrids and varieties for yield, adaptability, stability, abiotic and biotic stress tolerance and quality. Seed production technology in self pollinated, cross pollinated and vegetatively propagated crops. Hybrid seed production technology in Maize, Rice, Sorghum, Pearl millet and Pigeonpea, etc. Ideotype concept and climate resilient crop varieties for future. Germplasm – Methods of conservation and utilization in crop improvement. Micropropagation -organogenesis and embryogenesis-different stages of micropropagation – commercial micropropagation, quality assurance of tissue culture plants. Plant tissue culture for crop improvement. Intellectual Property Rights – meaning, GATT, WTO, TRIPs, WIPO, patents, copyrights, trademark, industrial design, geographical indications, integrated circuits, trade secrets. Patent Act 1970 and patent system in India.
MODULE 6: SEED AND SEED TECHNOLOGY
Seed certification, field inspection- Foundation and certified seed production of important cereals (Rice, wheat and maize), pulses (Cowpea, mung, urd, pigeonpea, field bean and soyabean), oilseeds (Sesame, coconut, sunflower, groundnut), fodder (Guinea grass, napier grass and lucern), and vegetables (Bhindi, tomato, brinjal, chillies and cucurbitaceous vegetables). Seed Act and Seed Actenforcement- Central Seed Committee, Central Seed Certification Board, State Seed Certification Agency, Central and State Seed Test ing Laboratories. Seeds Control Order 1983 and Seed Bill 2004, IPR- Intellectual Property Rights
PART –III OTHERS
Module 7: HORTICULTURE
Horticulture – area, production, productivity of horticultural crops in India and Kerala – branches ofhorticulture – major fruit crops (Pomology) – importance, nutritional value, production technologies. Commercial orchards, gardens and plantations – selection of site for crops – climate, soil, socioeconomic factors; Techniques of training and pruning , problems of unfruitfulness – internal factors, external factors. Plant growth regulators in horticulture -.Plant propagation techniques – definition and basic concepts, type-structures – commercial propagation of horticultural crops; Micro propagation of horticultural plants .Important seed and herbal classification ,medicinal plants -different methods of classification, active principles, aromatic plants- Botany, varieties, production technology, active principles and uses, plantation crops of Kerala – commercially cultivated varieties,production  technologies – improved propagation methods..Ornamental and flowering plants (Floriculture) –– cultivation of commercial ornamental and flower crops. Gardening and landscaping-scope and methods. Post harvest management of major horticultural crops of Kerala
MODULE 8: OLERICULTURE
Importance and scope of vegetable crops in India with special reference to Kerala-Production and management of warm season and cool vegetables of Kerala. Types of vegetable farming-Systems of vegetable cultivation- traditional and specialized systems; Factors affecting vegetable productionBasic principles in vegetable production- nursery, sowing and transplanting, care and management. Plant protection special precautions in vegetables- Seed production in cool season vegetables, post harvest handling- losses; causes and measures to reduce losses; Packing and transport, marketing of vegetables.
MODULE 9: AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
.Agricultural economics- Basic concepts: Goods and services, desire, want, demand, utility, cost and price, wealth, tax, capital, income and welfare. Theories- Utility theory; law of diminishing marginal utility, equi-marginal utility principle. Agricultural Marketing: Concepts and definitions of market, marketing, agricultural marketing, market structure, marketing mix and market segmentation, classification and characteristics of agricultural markets- demand, supply and producer’s surplus of agri-commodities: nature and determinants of demand and supply of farm products, producer’s surplus.
Module 10: AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
Extension Education-Extension Programme planning- Meaning, Process, Principles and Steps in Programme Development. Extension systems in India: various extension/ agriculture development programmes launched by ICAR/ Govt. of India (IADP, IAAP, HYVP, KVK, IVLP, ORP, ND, NATP, NAIP, etc.). New trends in agricultural extension-Various rural development programmes launched by Govt. of India. Community development-Rural Leadership: concept and definition, types of leaders in  rural context; extension administration. Extension teaching methods- Sociology and Rural sociology. Management in extension, participatory approaches, entrepreneurship in agriculture, communication and transfer of technology in agriculture. 

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