TNPSC Syllabus of Horticulture

HORTICULTURE SYLLABUS CODE NO.064

(Two Papers)

PAPER – I

1. BASIC HORTICULTURE:
Scope and importance of Horticulture and horticultural crops – Area and
Production – Imports and Exports – Nutritive value of Horticultural crops –
Climatic Zones of India and Tamil Nadu in relation to Horticultural crops – Scope
for horticultural development in Tamil Nadu – Factors limiting horticultural crop
production – Climate (Rainfall, temperature, Light, humidity, sunshine) – Soil
(PH, EC, Soil depth) – Crops suitable for different soils – water (Quality and
quantity) – Drainage.
Planning. Layout and Planting of orchards – fencing – wind breaks – spacing –
systems of planting – cropping systems – Multitier cropping – cover crops –
Intercrops – Mulching – weed control.
Manures and manuring – organic and inorganic manures – Bio fertilizers –
Essential elements – functions – deficiency symptoms – fertilizer schedule –
Time and method of application.
Irrigation – water requirement of different horticultural crops – various irrigation
methods including drip, sprinkler, fog, mist, water stress on horticultural crops.

Training and pruning – principles and methods.

Flowering – Pollination – fruit set – fruit drop – causes and prevention – unfruitfulness associated with external and internal factors. Maturity – harvesting – Post harvest handling – Processing and preservation.

Role of plant growth regulators in Horticulture.
Seed and vegetative propagation – advantages and disadvantages – seed treatment - Important methods of vegetative propagation – cutting – layering – rootstock – scion – (Stock – scion relationship) – Incompatibility – grafting – budding – specialized parts of propagation (bulbs, tubers, offsets, runners etc.) – Mist propagation – Micropropagation.


PAPER – II

Tropical, subtropical, temperate and arid zone horticultural crops – climate and soil – propagation practices spacing and planting – varieties – nutrient water and weed management – mulching – intercropping – use of growth regulators – yield – Economics – Integrated pest and disease management – pre and post-harvest practices – processing and preservation – Marketing. Fruit Crops: Mango, banana, grapes, citrus, papaya, Sapota, guava, ber, Pomegrante. annonas, amla, tamarind, jack, pineapple, apple, plum, pear, peach. Spice

Crops : Pepper, Cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, allspice, ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek. fennel. Plantation Crops: Coffee, Tea, Coconut, Cocoa, Arecanut, Oilpalm, Cashew, Palmyrah. rubber. Vegetable Crops : Tomato, brinjal, bhendi, chilli, cucumber, melons. gourds, pumpkin, peas, beans, potato, cassava. sweet potato, minor tubers. carrot, radish. Beetroot. Turnip. cabbage. cauliflower. onion, garlic. Amaranthus. other greens. Moringa, chow chow , curry leaf.

Flower Crops : Jasmine. rose, chrysanthemum, Tube rose, crossandra – marigold, Gerbera, orchid. gladiolus. anthurium. Medicinal Plants : Catharatnthus – Gloriosa. Senna, Pyrethrum – Digitalis.

Aromatic Plants: Geranium – Oil yielding grasses. Patchouli, Mentha. Ornamental gardening :  Landscaping – design and principles – Types of gardens – Layout – garden components – flowering, foliage and Avenue trees – Arboretum – shrubs – creepers and Climbers. cacti and succulents, hedge and edge plants. plants for rockery and water garden – Flowering annulas Indoor plants – Garden adornaments - arches and pergolas. Lawn – grasses – Making and maintenance.

Kitchen garden and Herbal garden.