CUET PG 2024 Syllabus Horticulture

Syllabus
for
Horticulture, Forestry, Seed
Science, Rural Technology,
Agronomy, Plant Breeding,
Genetics (SCQP16)

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Note:
i. The Question Paper which will have 75 questions.
ii. All questions will be based on Subject-Specific Knowledge.
iii. All questions are compulsory.
iv. The Questions will be Bilingual (English/Hindi).

Horticulture, Forestry, Seed Science, Rural Technology,
Agronomy, Plant Breeding, Genetics (SCQP16)

Basic Biology: Spontaneous generation theory, prokaryotes vs eukaryotes, functional anatomy, structure and
organization of bacteria, fungi and algae – economic importance, methods of sterilization, rhizosphere
microorganisms and importance, plant-microbe interactions in soil, microbial transformation of nutrients in
soil. Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and amino acids – occurrence and classification, carbohydrate and lipid
metabolism, glycolysis, TCA cycle, pentose phosphate pathway, ETC and oxidative phosphorylation,
secondary metabolites – occurrence, classification, functions and applications.

Ecology: Physical environment; biotic environment; biotic and abiotic interactions. Concept of habitat and
niche; niche width and overlap; fundamental and realized niche; resource partitioning; character
displacement. Characteristics of a population; population growth curves; population regulation; life history
strategies; concept of metapopulation – demes and dispersal, intergenic extinctions, age structured
populations. Types of interactions, interspecific competition, herbivory, carnivory, pollination, symbiosis.
Nature of communities; community structure and attributes; levels of species diversity and its measurement;
edges and ecotones. Types; mechanisms; changes involved in succession; concept of climax. Structure and
function; energy flow and mineral cycling; primary production and decomposition; structure and function of
some Indian ecosystems: terrestrial and aquatic. Major terrestrial biomes; theory of island biogeography;
biogeographical zones of India.

Plant Biology: Photosynthesis: Light harvesting complexes; mechanisms of electron transport; photo
protective mechanisms; CO2 fixation-C3, C4 and CAM pathways. Citric acid cycle; plant mitochondrial
electron transport and ATP synthesis; alternate oxidase; photo respiratory pathway. Nitrate and ammonium
assimilation; amino acid biosynthesis. Plant hormones: Biosynthesis, storage, breakdown and transport;
physiological effects and mechanisms of action. Structure, function and mechanisms of action of
phytochromes, cryptochromes and phytotropins; stomatal movement; photoperiodism and biological clocks.
Solute transport and photo assimilate translocation: Uptake, transport and translocation of water, ions, solutes
and macromolecules from soil, through cells, across membranes, through xylem and phloem; transpiration;
mechanisms of loading and unloading of photo assimilates. Secondary metabolites - Biosynthesis of terpenes,
phenols and nitrogenous compounds and their roles. Responses of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses;
mechanisms of resistance to biotic stress and tolerance to abiotic stress. Plant tissue culture and applications,
molecular marker technology, transgenic technology – GMOs, transgenic plants for biotic and abiotic stress
resistance and quality improvement, molecular pharming – production of vaccines, therapeutic proteins,
industrial enzymes and bioplastics.

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Microscopic Techniques: Visualization of cells and subcellular components by light microscopy, resolving
powers of different microscopes, microscopy of living cells, scanning and transmission microscopes, different
fixation and staining techniques for EM, freeze-etch and freeze-fracture methods for EM, image processing
methods in microscopy.

Methods in Field Biology: Methods of estimating population density of animals and plants, ranging
patterns through direct, indirect and remote observations, sampling methods in the study of behavior, habitat
characterization-ground and remote sensing methods.

Horticulture: Scope and importance; global scenario of horticultural crops, classification of horticultural
crops – nutritive value of horticultural crops, horticulture zones of India. Systematic botany – terminology,
morphology description and classification of root, stem, leaf, inflorescence,

Flower and fruits – flowering mechanism – modes of pollination – asexual/ vegetative reproduction –
floral biology – fertilization and fruit set, Principles involved in nomenclature.

Landscaping and Gardening: Importance and scope of gardening, gardens in India – concepts of
landscape gardening – styles and types of gardens – Hindu, Mughal, English, Italian, Persian and
Japanese gardens, ornamental landscaping in environmental protection.

Food Technology: Food processing industries/institutions/food scientists of importance in India, causesof food
spoilage, methods of food preservation, post-harvest and storage of fresh fruits and vegetables, preparations of
fruits and vegetables for processing, technology of foods of animal origin.

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