TSPSC Agriculture Extension Officer Syllabus 2016 Exam Pattern

TSPSC Agriculture Extension Officer Syllabus 2016 Exam Pattern Subject-wise General studies and general abilities Agriculture (diploma level) (english & telugu version) Dry land agriculture (vocational degree level) tspsc aeo exam pattern 2016

TSPSC Agriculture Extension Officer Notification 2016

WRITTEN EXAMINATION (OBJECTIVE TYPE)

PAPER-I

GENERAL STUDIES AND GENERAL ABILITIES TSPSC Agriculture Extension Officer Exam Pattern 2016

Number of Questions : 150

Duration : 150 Minutes

Maximum Marks : 150

PAPER-II:

AGRICULTURE (DIPLOMA LEVEL) (English & Telugu version)

DRY LAND AGRICULTURE (VOCATIONAL DEGREE LEVEL)

Number of Questions : 150

Duration : 150 Minutes

Maximum Marks : 150

Total Marks : 300

TSPSC Agriculture Extension Officer Notification 2016

PAPER-I: TSPSC Agriculture Extension Officer Syllabus 2016

GENERAL STUDIES AND GENERAL ABILITIES Syllabus

1. Current Affairs – Regional, National and International
2. International Relations and Events.
3. General Science; India’s achievements in Science and Technology
4. Environmental issues and Disaster Management
5. Economy of India and Telangana
6. Geography of India with a focus on Telangana
7. Indian Constitution and Polity with a focus on local self Government
8. Society, Culture, Heritage, Arts and Literature of Telangana
9. Policies of Telangana State
10. History of Modern India with a focus on Indian National Movement
11. History of Telangana with special emphasis on Movement for Telangana Statehood
12. Logical Reasoning, Analytical Ability and Data Interpretation
13. Basic English (8th Class Standard)

PAPER-II: TSPSC Agriculture Extension Officer Syllabus 2016

AGRICULTURE (DIPLOMA LEVEL) AEO Syllabus

1. Agronomy

Agriculture terminology; National and International institutions; Research stations in state universities- Agro climatic zones of Telangana state – characterization, Research priorities. Agroclimatic zones of Telangana State;
weather, agricultural meteorology, study of weather parameters – Sunlight, Temperature, Pressure, Transpiration, snowfall, Rainfall- types; rainfall measuring instruments; effect of rainfall on crops; Tillage – effect on soil
properties – Factors affecting good tilth; puddling, Sowing methods; Crop stand establishment; Plant geometry – Effect of Plant population on growth & yield; Soil fertility and soil productivity ; Soil fertility management ; cultivation methods, Nutrient requirement, Organic & Chemical fertilizers- uses; Weeds – losses due
to weeds ; important aspects of weed control, use of herbicides in major agricultural crops, Integrated weed management; Irrigation water management, crop water requirement, methods of irrigation, Modern methods of water management – advantages and disadvantages; Drainage; Harvest maturity symptoms; harvest and post Harvest measures; Rainfed agriculture- improved agronomic practices. Water harvesting, contingency crop plan; Watershed; Cropping systems; crop rotation; Integrated farming systems;; Sustainable agriculture; Organic farming- certification

2. Crop production and improved management practices

Food grain crops; commercials crops, Pulses and Oil seed crops, Fodder crops, Spices and condiments in Telangana and in India – Importance, acreage, production, productivity, improved varieties and hybrids developed, suitable soils, climatic conditions, seed rate, seed dormancy, seed treatment, spacing, inter cultivation, seed rate, weed control, water management, integrated nutrient management, improved management practices, harvesting, and post harvest measures.

3. Soil Science

Soil chemical and physical properties; Carbon : Nitrogen ratio and its importance, soil pH, soil organic matter; importance of microorganisms, soil ionic exchange, problematic soils, different types of soils in Telangana state; important nutrients requirement of crop plants; essentiality – forms of nutrient availability, nutrient deficiencies, corrective measures; causes for loss of soil fertility – management; soil – environmental pollution – control, classification of organic and chemical fertilizers, composting, vermicompost; biogas plant, green manures,
green manure crops, concentrated organic manures; mixed fertilizers- fertilizer use efficiency, bio fertilizers, integrated nutrient management, soil testing methods; global warming – causes, secondary nutrients; complex fertilisers; chelated micronutrients; fertilizer control act.

4. Plant Breeding, Seed Technology, Seed testing

Parts of flower, methods of reproductions in plants, male sterility, vegetative propagation. Plant breeding – selection, hybridization, mutation breeding, polyploidy breeding; methods of breeding for varietal and hybrid development,
varietal description, DNA test; importance of seed; seed characters, classes of seed, principles of seed production, management practices in seed production, isolation distance; difference between varietal and hybrid seed production; tips in seed production of different crops, seed certification, seed processing; cleaning and grading equipment; seed treatment; seed testing, seed viability, seed vigour, seed dormancy, seed health, seed packing, seed varietal protection, seed pellets, biotechnology in seed development, Intellectual Property Rights, crop
varietal release- trials, release procedure and release. Seed production of field and vegetable crops, seed regulations in India, historical development, nation and international institutions in seed quality control, seed acts and regulations; seed production in fruits and flower crops; seed sampling, physical purity tests, seed moisture tests, genetic purity tests; seed processing – importance and methods; seed storage.

5. Crop pests and their management

Introduction to Entomology, Taxonomy and Characters of class Insecta, Insect Segmentation. agriculturally important insect Orders, Insect mouthparts and types. Symptoms of Damage caused by various insects. Integrated Pest Management – Importance, Predators and Parasitoids, Botanicals, chemical insect control, Insecticides – Classification, Compatibility and Formulations; Nematicides, Rodenticides etc. Sericulture, Apiculture and Lac culture. Pests of Agricultural and Horticultural crops – Scientific names – nature of Damage and
Management, Stored grain Pests – Management, Non – insect Pest Management (Rodents, Birds and Nematodes).

6. Plant diseases and their control

Introduction to Plant pathology- casual organisms, terminology – concepts, classification of diseases, etiology, disease spread, pathogens, predisposing factors of diseases, disease management methods- use of fungicides,
classification of fungicides, common fungicides- mode of action; diagnosis of field diseases, important methods of diseases management, control of diseases, nematodes and plant parasites- their management; diseases of important field and horticultural crops and their management.

7. Horticulture and forestry

Vegetable Crops and their cultivation details; important fruit crops, medicinal, aromatic crops and flower crops of Telangana state- propagation, nursery management, pruning, green houses, principles of fruits and vegetable storage; value addition of fruits and vegetable products; Agro forestry – importance, national forest polices and forest acts; afforestation, management of forest nurseries, important forest plants- uses, their management; Social forestry, wind break trees, timber and non timber forest products – their characters

8. Agricultural Economics

Agriculture finance – definition, Scope and importance; Regional Rural Banks; NABARD; Self Help Groups; Lead Bank Scheme; Kisan Credit Card; Crop Insurance, preparation and uses of balance sheet, theory of production – law of variable proportions; laws of returns, returns to scale; economies of scale; study of costs and returns; farm business organizations- aims and main objectives, farm management-aims; types of farming, farm planning –types, uses, cooperation-principles; farmers cooperative societies –types; co-operative movement in India –history; farmer cooperative societies and Agriculture cooperative societies –types and uses; agricultural credit policy-main features;
different types of agricultural credit; cooperative banks, RBI, problems faced by farmers in accessing credit; agricultural marketing- types of Agriculture markets, market efficiency; problems of agricultural marketing-overcoming measures; price determination; seed industry –importance; seed price policies; market price
and normal price.

9. Agricultural Extension and Rural Development

Education- Formal and informal education-differences; Extension educationscope and importance; Extension Teaching methods-uses and limitations; Agriculture information publications-types limitations, uses; Instructional aides; Extension programme planning stages; principles of programme planning, Evaluation – types and importance; Rural sociology-importance; characteristics of Indian Rural Society; differences between rural and urban societies; Rural development objectives and constraints, Participatory Rural Appraisal- important
characters, Principles, methods. Leadership- qualities, Classification; selection and training of leader; Pre and Post Independence developmental programmes; society development guidelines; democracy and decentralization – Panchayat Raj System; importance, Three Tier system of Panchayat Raj-functions; Mandal system in Telangana – organizational characters; Extension reforms- Importance of ATMA.

10. Agricultural Energy Sources, Machinery

Energy resources in Agriculture; farm engines – their parts, differences; Characteristics of Fuels, Tractors-types; Tractor Management; Power TillerWorking Mechanism, Ploughing Implements; Bund Formers, Traditional Sowing
Equipment, Types of Sprayers-Dusters, Weeding Implements; Crop Harvesters, Threshers- their management; Winnowing- methods; post harvest equipments, grain drying methods; grain storage structures- types, uses; food grain storage.

11. Land surveying, water engineering and Green House Technology

Surveying- types, errors; methods of Irrigation water measurement; Drip and Sprinkler irrigation systems- importance; types of pumps- repairs; Green houses- importance, types, material for construction; Environmental conditions in green houses- their control; shade nets- their uses.

TSPSC Agriculture Extension Officer Notification 2016

PAPER-II: TSPSC Agriculture Extension Officer Syllabus 2016

DRY LAND AGRICULTURE (VOCATIONAL DEGREE LEVEL) AEO Syllabus

Rainfed Agriculture – concepts, systems; history; achievments. Status of Rainfed Agriculture in Telangana and India. Natural Resources Systems in rainfed areas.

Rainfed Crops – Cereals, Millets, Pulses, Oilseeds, Root crops, Perennial vegetation; their distribution, characters, zones of cultivation, productivity, value addition. Plant resources related to soil and climatic conditions;

weed management; Deforestation.

Role of vegetation in natural resource conservation. Afforestation – Social forestry and Agroforestry. Soils – forming processes; nutrients; physical properties; soil related problems and their management. Soil fertility management. Land capability classification – alternative land uses. Degraded lands – rehabilitation. Soil and rain water conservation. Soils of rainfed regions, thier characteristics, problems and management.

Climatic parameters -meteorological instruments. Monsoons and Agro-climatic classifications in Telangana and India. Drought -influence on crop production and national economy, drought management strategies. Microclimate – crop water use, pest and diseases. Weather forecasting – techniques, simulation modeling, GIS.

Mechanisation in dryland agriculture – alternative sources of energy, implements for field operations, storage, processing and post harvest operations. Rain water management – principles and methods. Choice of crops and cropping practices; Mulching ; Runoff management ; Traditional and modern systems of rainwater management.

Rain water recycling techniques. Water efficient crops.

Agronomic practices for water use efficiency. Watershed – concept, approaches, objectives and programmes. Watershed hydrology, rainwater balance, natural resource buildup. Crops, cropping systems and transfer of technology.

Crop management in rainfed agriculture – Land use planning with bio-physical, socio-economic criteria. Micro level planning for land use diversification and management -land capability criteria; biotic and abiotic stresses; socio-economic considerations; crop diversification. Drought management- agronomic practices; crop choices; drought

tolerant varieties, cropping systems. High value, Hi-tech Agriculture – fertigation, micro irrigation systems. Standard agronomic options and practices for drylands .

Integtated pest and disease management. Contingent crop plans and cropping systems. Sustainable agriculture – concepts, potential and possibilities; conservation and efficeint use of natural resources; Risk aversion through far

ming enterprises; Agroforestry systems; role of livestock; Alternate rural occupation for resource generation.

Technology dissemination in rainfed areas – concepts and systems of technology transfer.

Conventional and modern extension systems – Village level extension workers; Credit support institutions; Rapid rural appraisals ; Women in agriculture. Human resource development through communication systems.

TSPSC Agriculture Extension Officer Notification 2016

TSPSC Agriculture Extension Officer Syllabus 2016 Exam Pattern

TSPSC Agriculture Extension Officer Syllabus 2016 Exam Pattern