AP PGCET 2023 Syllabus Botany

TEST NAME: 303 – BOTANY

ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF LIFE, MICROBIAL DIVERSITY:
Discovery of microorganisms, origin of life, spontaneous, biogenesis, Pasteur experiments, germ
theory of disease. Classification of microorganisms: R.H. Whittaker’s five kingdom concept,
Carl Woese’s- Domain system. Brief account of special groups of bacteria- Archaebacteria,
Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Actinomycetes, Rickettsias and Cyanobacteria.

Viruses- Discovery, general account, structure& replication of: T4 Phage (Lytic, Lysogenic) and
TMV, Viroids, Prions. Plant diseases caused by viruses: Symptoms, transmission and control
measures (Brief account only). Study of Tobacco Mosaic, Bhendi Vein clearing and Papaya leaf
curl diseases.

Bacteria: Discovery, General characteristics, cell structure and nutrition. Reproduction: Asexual
and bacterial recombination (Conjugation, Transformation, Transduction). Economic importance
of Bacteria.

CLASSIFICATION AND DENSITYOF ALGAE, FUNGI, BRYOPHYTES,
PETRIDOPHYTES, GYMNOSPERMS:

Algae: General account of thallus organization and reproduction in Algae. Fritsch classification
of Algae (up to classes only) and economic importance. Structure, reproduction and life history
of Oedogonium, Ectocarpus and Polysiphonia.

Fungi: General characteristics and outline classification (Ainsworth). Structure, reproduction
and life history of Rhizopus (Zygomycota), Penicillium (Ascomycota), and Puccinia
(Basidiomycota). Lichens: Structure and reproduction; ecological and economic importance.

Bryophytes: General characters, Classification. Structure, reproduction and Life history of
Marchantia, and Funaria. Evolution of Sporophyte in Bryophytes.

Pteridophytes: General characters, classification. Structure, reproduction and life history of
Lycopodium, and Marsilea. Heterospory and seed habit. Evolution of stele in Pteridophytes.

Gymnosperms: General characters, classification. Morphology, anatomy, reproduction and life
history of Pinus and Gnetum. Economic importance with reference to wood, essential oils and
drugs.

PLANT ANATOMY
Tissues and Tissue systems: Meristems: Root and Shoot apical meristems histological
organization. Tissues: Meristematic and permanent tissues (simple, complex, secretory) Tissue
systems: Epidermal, ground and vascular.

Secondary growth: Anomalous secondary growth in Achyranthes, Boerhaavia and Dracaena.
Local timbers economic importance: Teak, Rosewood, Red sanders and Arjuna (Tellamaddi).

PLANT TAXONOMY
Introduction to Plant Taxonomy: Fundamental components of taxonomy (identification,
nomenclature, classification), Taxonomic resources: Herbarium: functions and important
herbaria, Botanical gardens, Flora, Keys: single access and multi-access, Botanical
Nomenclature: Principles and rules of ICBN (ranks and names; principle of priority, binomial
system; type method, author citation, valid-publication).

Classification: Types of classifications: Artificial, Natural and Phylogenetic. Bentham &
Hooker’s system and Engler & Prantle’s system of classification merits and demerits. Phylogeny,
origin and evolution of Angiosperms.

Systematic Taxonomy: Systematic study and economic importance of: Asteraceae,
Asclepiadaceae, Lamiaceae, Ephorbiaceae, Arecaceae,and Poaceae.

EMBRYOLOGY
Anther structure, microsporogenesis and development of male gametophyte. Ovule structure and
types; Megasporogenesis, development of Monosporic, Bisporic and Tetrasporic (Peperomia
,Drusa, Adoxa) embryo sacs. Pollination and Fertilization (out lines) Endosperm development
and types. Development of Dicot and Monocot embryos, Polyembryony.

PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND METABOLISM
Plant Water relations: Physical properties of water, Importance of water to plant life.
Diffusion, imbibition and osmosis; concept & components of Water potential. Absorption and
transport of water and ascent of sap. Transpiration: Definition, types of transpiration, structure,
opening and closing mechanism of stomata.

Mineral nutrition & Enzymes: Mineral Nutrition: Essential elements (macro and
micronutrients) and their role in plant metabolism, deficiency symptoms. Mineral ion uptake
(active and passive transport). Nitrogen metabolism: biological nitrogen fixation in Rhizobium,
outlines of protein synthesis (transcription and translation). Enzymes: General characteristics,
mechanism of enzyme action and factors regulating enzyme action.

Photosynthesis: Photosynthetic pigments, photosynthetic light reactions, photo phosphorylation,
carbon assimilation pathways: C3, C4, and CAM (brief account). Photorespiration and its
significance. Translocation of organic solutes: mechanism of phloem transport, source-sink
relationships.

Plant Metabolism: Respiration: Glycolysis, anaerobic respiration, TCA cycle, electron transport
system. Mechanism of oxidative phosphorylation. Lipid Metabolism: Types of lipids, Beta-
oxidation.

Growth and Development: Growth and development: definition, phases and kinetics of growth.
Physiological effects of phytohormones:Auxins, Gibberellins, Cytokinins, ABA, Ethylene and
Brassinosteroids. Physiology of flowering: photoperiodism, role of phytochrome in flowering;
Vernalization. Physiology of scenescence and Ageing.

CELL BIOLOGY
Cell Biology: Cell, the unit of life; Cell theory, Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; Eukaryotic cell
components. Ultra structure and functions of cell wall and cell membranes. Chromosomes:
morphology, organization of DNA in a chromosome (nucleosome model), Euchromatin and
heterochromatin.

GENETICS
Genetic Material: DNA as the genetic material: Griffith’s and Avery’s transformation
experiment, Hershey: Chase bacteriophage experiment. DNA structure (Watson & Crick model)
replication of DNA (semi conservative). Types of RNA (mRNA, tRNA, rRNA), their structure
and function.

Mendelian Inheritance: Mendel’s laws of Inheritance (Monoand Di hybrid crosses); backcross
and test cross. Chromosome theory of Inheritance. Linkage: concept, complete and incomplete
linkage, coupling and repulsion; linkage maps based on two and three factor crosses. Crossing
Over: concept & significance.

PLANT BREEDING
Plant Breeding: Introduction and Objectives of plant breeding. Methods of crop improvement:
Procedure, advantages and limitations of Introduction, Selection, and Hybridization (outlines
only).

Crop Improvement and Biotechnology: Role of mutations in crop improvement. Role of soma
clonal variations in crop improvement. Molecular breeding: use of DNA markers in plant
breeding and crop improvement (RAPD, RFLP).

PLANT ECOLOGY& PHYTOGEOGRAPHY
Elements of Ecology: Ecology: definition, branches and significance of ecology. Climatic
Factors: Light, Temperature, precipitation. Edaphic Factors: Origin, formation, composition and
soil profile. Biotic Factor: Interactions between plants and animals.

Ecosystem Ecology: Ecosystem: Concept and components, energy flow, Food chain, Food web,
Ecological pyramids. Productivity of ecosystem: Primary, Secondary and Net productivity.
Biogeochemical cycles: Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorous.

Population &Community Ecology: Population: definition, characteristics and importance,
Ecotypes. Plant communities: characters of a community: Frequency, density, cover, life forms,
competition. Interaction between plants growing in a community.

Phytogeography: Principles of Phytogeography, Distribution (wides, endemic, discontinuous
species) Phytogeography regions of India. and World. Endemism: types and causes

Plant Biodiversity and its importance: Definition, levels of biodiversity: genetic, species and
ecosystem. Biodiversity hotspots: Criteria, Biodiversity hotspots of India. Loss of biodiversity:
causes and conservation (In-situ andex-situ methods). Seed banks: conservation of genetic
resources and their importance.
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