TNPSC Assistant Agricultural Officer Exam Syllabus 2022

Organisation : Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC)
Exam Name : TNPSC Assistant Agricultural Officer Examination 2022
Announcement : TNPSC Assistant Agricultural Officer Exam Syllabus
Website : https://www.tnpsc.gov.in/English/new_syllabus.html

What is TNPSC Assistant Agricultural Officer Exam?

An agriculture officer has to ensure that all the agricultural practices & products are in lieu of the state & local regulations. His main task is to check, investigate, sample & test everything, so as to determine whether they are complying with the state & local rules and regulations. Aspirants who wish to apply for the test must have passed the class 10 exam from the recognized board and be above 18 years of age. Those above the age of 40 years are not eligible to apply for the exam.

Related / Similar Syllabus :

TNPSC Agricultural Officer PG Degree Standard Exam Syllabus

TNPSC Assistant Director Of Handlooms & Textiles Exam Syllabus

Syllabus For TNPSC Assistant Agricultural Officer (AAO)

The Syllabus For TNPSC Assistant Agricultural Officer (AAO) are given below,

Unit -I -Agronomic principles, practices and meteorology

Agriculture – Definition – Scope of agriculture in India and Tamil Nadu – Branches of
agriculture – Agronomy – Art and Science of Crop Production. Agronomical
classification of crops – their importance. Major crops of India and Tamil Nadu. Factors
affecting Crop Production – Moisture, Aeration, Light, Temperature and Nutrients.
Cropping systems – definitions, Principles. Principles and Practices of Agricultural
Operations – Tillage and Tilth – Objectives and Types of Tillage – Primary tillage,
Secondary Tillage and Intercultural Operations, Implements and Tools in Agriculture.

Meteorology – Agricultural Meteorology – Definition – Importance in Crop Production –
Atmosphere – Components and its importance – Weather Parameters and their role in
Crop Production. Rainfall – Spatial and Temporal Variability in Tamil Nadu acrossSeasons – Agro Climatic Zones of Tamil Nadu

Irrigation – sources of water for irrigation – water movement,– soil moisture constants –
available soil moisture – effect of water stress on crop yield – water use efficiency –
water requirement of major crops – critical stages of water requirement – irrigation
scheduling – types and advantages – Irrigation methods – Irrigation water use efficiency
– management of poor quality irrigation water – soil erosion due to water and control.

Weeds – definition and importance of weed control in crop production – classification of
weeds – methods of weed control – manual, mechanical, cultural, chemical and
biological methods – relative merits and demerits – Herbicide classification based on
mode of action and method of application – common herbicides available in the market–
weed control practices for major crops – parasitic, problematic and aquatic weed
management – integrated weed management – concepts and practices.

Agronomic Practices including Climatic and Soil Requirement, Land Preparation –
Seeds and Sowing – Varieties – Fertilizer Management – Irrigation – Weed Control –
Harvesting – Cropping Systems for Cereals, Millets, Pulses, Oilseeds, Commercial
Crops, Forages and Green Manure Crops. Cultivation of Mulberry Crop.

Unit-II -Dry Farming and Agro-Forestry

Dry Farming – Definition and Present Status in Tamil Nadu – Soils of Dry Farming
Tracts and their limitation to Crop Production – Major Crops of Dry Land. Suitable Dry
Land Technology for increased Crop Productivity – Pre-monsoon sowing –
Conventional Crop Production Vs Alternate land Use in Dry Land – Integrated Farming
Systems in drylands. Erosion – Classification of Erosion – Water and Wind Erosion –
Land Slide – Contour Bund, Graded Bund, Bench Terrace, Contour Stone Wall. Gully
Control Structures – Cultivation Practices – Water Harvest – Farm Ponds – Percolation
Ponds –Weather aberrations and Contingent Crop Planning – Important Drought Events
in Tamil Nadu and their effect on Crop Production; Watershed development – definition
and components

Land use classification – Role of Forests – Indian forests – Status – Classification –
Disciplines in Forestry – Agroforestry – Definition – Differences between Agroforestry,
Social Forestry, Urban Forestry – Advantages – Agroforestry Systems – Primary
Systems – Agrisilviculture, Silvipasture, Agrisilvipasture – Mixed Wood Lots – Sub
Systems – Shifting Cultivation – Taungya – Home Gardens – Alley cropping – Wind
Break and Shelter Belts – Agroforestry Practices. Constraints in Agroforestry – Trees for
Problem Soils – Sand – Sand Dune Stabilisation – Social Forestry Projects in Tamil
Nadu –Industrial Agroforestry – Waste land development – types of wastelands and
management practices. Management Practices for Multi Purpose Trees (MPT) – Teak,
Casuarina, Ailanthus, Neem, Bamboo, Acacia

Unit-III -Soils and Fertility Management

Definition of Soil – Its main components – Soils of Tamil Nadu. Soil Physical Properties
– Colour, Texture, Structure, Bulk Density, Pore Space, Soil water, Soil Air, Soil
Temperature and their significance in crop production. Soil Chemical Properties – Soil
Colloids – Ion-exchange Reactions – Soil Organic Matter and its decomposition –
Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles – Soil Micro Organisms – Importance of Organic Matter on
Soil Properties. Soil Reaction – Acid, Saline and Alkaline Soils – Their Formation and
Reclamation – Soil Pollutants. Soil Fertility – Major, Secondary and Minor Plant
Nutrients. Soil Fertility evaluation, Soil Testing and fertilizer recommendations.
Fertilizers – Nitrogenous, Phosphatic and Potassic Fertilizers – Complex and Mixed
Fertilizers, Efficient use of Fertilizers. Bio-Fertilizers – Groups of Bio-Fertilizers –
Bacterial, Fungal, Algal and Azolla. Irrigation water – Qualities of irrigation water – Water
testing

Unit-IV- Horticultural Crop Cultivation Techniques

Study of Cultural Practices of the following Fruit Crops with reference to Soil, Climate,
Varieties, Methods of Propagation, Cultural, Manurial, Horticultural and Irrigation practices –
physiological and nutritional disorders – Training and Pruning – Role of Growth Regulators –
Maturity Standards – Methods of Harvesting – Yield. Post harvest Technology – Grading –
Packing – Storage. Tropical fruits:- Mango, Banana, Grapes, Papaya, Sapota, Guava,
Citrus, Pomegranate, Ber, Annona, Amla and Jack. Subtropical and Temperate fruits:
Apple, Pear, Peach, Plum and Pineapple. Propagation methods – sexual, asexual and
micro-propagation – merits and demerits – steps in micro-propagation – packing and
marketing of tissue culture plants

Importance of Vegetables – Nutritive Value – Types of Vegetable Garden: Kitchen
Garden, Nutritional Garden, Truck Garden, Commercial Garden – Soil and Climatic
Requirements, Varieties, Cultural Practices, Irrigation, weeding – use of growth
regulators, manuring, Harvesting, Yield and Post Harvest Handling of Tomato, Brinjal,
Chillies, Bhendi, Onion, Cucurbits; Temperate Vegetables like Cauliflower, Cabbage,
Turnip, Knol-khol; Salad Vegetables; Root and Tuber vegetables; Greens and
Perennials – Tissue Culture achievements in Vegetables

Cultural Requirements of Commercial Flower Crops – Jasmine, Rose, Chrysanthemum,
Marigold, Tuberose, Crossandra, Cockscomb. Garden Design – Formal and Informal
Gardens – Components of Garden – Lawns and Lawn Making – Study of Important
Flowering Annuals, Flowering and Foliage Shrubs – Flowering and Foliage Trees –
Creepers and Climbers – Cacti and Succulents – Indoor Plants and Indoor Decoration –
Cut Flowers – Flower arrangement – Bonsai Culture and dry flower decoration.
Preparing ornamental garden design for home – Lawn Making; Different Methods of Lawn
Making – Identification of Important Annuals, Herbaceous, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Cacti
and Succulents, Creepers and Climbers, Bulbous Plants and Hedge Plants – Preparation of
Pot Mixture – Potting and Repotting Exercise – Raising Nursery for Ornamental Plants –

Flower Arrangement – Interior decoration – Bonsai Practices
Definition – Area and Production – Soil, Climate, Varieties, Propagation, Cultural, Manurial
and Irrigation Practices, Training and Pruning, Harvesting, Yield, Processing, Grading and
Packing, Value added Products of : Spices – Pepper, Cardamom, Clove, Nutmeg,
Cinnamon, Allspice, Turmeric, Ginger, tamarind, Coriander and Fenugreek. Plantation
Crops – Coffee, Tea, Coconut, Arecanut, Cashew, Cocoa and Rubber. Medicinal Crops
– Coleus, Gloriosa, Ashwagandha, Senna, Keezhanelli, Agave, Thulasi and Achorus.

Unit-V -Breeding and Seed Production

Field Crops – Importance – Classification – Agricultural and Industrial – Chemical
Composition of Economic Parts in the Crops & Cereals, Millets, Pulses, Oilseeds,
Fibres, Sugar and Starch Crops. Plant Photosynthesis – Respiration – Translocation of
Assimilates. Reproductive and Pollination System in Plants – Mechanisms promoting
Self Pollination and Cross Pollination in crop plants – Genetic Conservation and
utilization.

Syllabus : http://www.syllabus.gen.in/uploads/pdf2022/2667-note.pdf

Breeding Techniques for Self Pollinated Crops – Pure line selection – Mass Selection –
Hybridization and Selection – Pedigree Method – Bulk Method – For Crops like – Rice,
Sorghum, Black gram, Groundnut. Breeding Techniques for Cross Pollinated and Often
Cross Pollinated Crops – Mass Selection, Heterosis Breeding – Development of Hybrids
– Single Cross – Double Cross and Poly Cross – Use of Male Sterile lines for Hybrid
Seed Production – Synthetics and composites for crops like Maize, Cumbu, Redgram,
Cotton, Castor, Sunflower, Coconut. Breeding Methods for vegetatively propagated
crops – Clonal Selection – Hybridization and selection for crops like Sugarcane,
Tapioca and Potato. Mutation in crop improvement – Polyploid in Crop Improvement –
Inter Specific Hybridization