The UPSC Indian Forest Service (IFS) exam includes Botany as one of the optional subjects. Here’s the detailed syllabus for Botany:
Paper I
1. Microbiology and Plant Pathology:
- Viruses, bacteria, and plasmids: Structure and reproduction. General account of infection, Phytoimmunology.
- Important plant diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, mycoplasma, fungi, and nematodes. Modes of infection and dissemination. Molecular basis of infection and disease resistance/defense. Physiology of parasitism and control measures. Fungal toxins.
2. Cryptogams:
- Algae, fungi, bryophytes, pteridophytes—structure, reproduction, and phylogeny. Economic importance.
3. Phanerogams:
- Gymnosperms: Concept of Progymnosperms. Classification and distribution of Gymnosperms. Salient features of Cycadales, Ginkgoales, Coniferales, and Gnetales. Economic importance.
- Angiosperms: Systematics, anatomy, embryology, palynology, and phylogeny.
4. Plant Resource Development:
- Domestication and introduction of plants; Centre of origin; Methods of Crop Improvement; Production of new crops and uses; Selection, hybridization, and mutation breeding.
5. Morphogenesis:
- Totipotency; Organogenesis; Somatic embryogenesis; Androgenesis; Somatic hybridization.
Paper II
1. Cell Biology:
- Techniques of cell biology. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Structural and functional aspects of the plasma membrane and cell organelles. Cell cycle, mitosis, and meiosis.
2. Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology:
- Laws of inheritance. Structure and function of genes and chromosomes. Mutation. Multiple alleles and blood groups. Sex linkage and chromosomal aberrations. Elements of genetic engineering and biotechnology.
3. Plant Breeding, Biotechnology, and Biostatistics:
- Methods of plant breeding: Introduction, selection, hybridization, heterosis, and inbreeding depression. Molecular markers and their applications in crop improvement. Basic principles of biostatistics: Sampling, frequency distribution, standard error, variance, covariance, correlation, and regression.
4. Physiology and Biochemistry:
- Photosynthesis: Light and dark reactions, C3, C4, and CAM pathways. Respiration: Glycolysis, TCA cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. Nitrogen metabolism: Nitrogen fixation and nitrate reduction. Plant growth regulators. Secondary metabolites.
5. Ecology and Environment:
- Concepts and components of the ecosystem. Ecological adaptations. Plant succession. Environmental pollution and global warming. Conservation of natural resources.
6. Economic Botany:
- Origin of cultivated plants. Major crops (wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane, potato, etc.) and their uses. Ethnobotany.
This syllabus is comprehensive and requires in-depth study of each topic to prepare effectively for the exam. Good reference books and previous years’ question papers will be helpful for preparation.
