FRUIT SCIENCE/POMOLOGY (SYLLABUS FOR ICAR’S JRF/SRF(PGS) )

SYLLABUS FOR THE ALL INDIA COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION FOR ADMISSION TO DOCTORAL DEGREE PROGRAMMES AND THE AWARD OF

JRF/SRF (PGS)


13 FRUIT SCIENCE/POMOLOGY 

 Unit 1: Tropical and Dry Land Fruit Production 

Commercial varieties of regional, national and international importance, eco-physiological requirements, recent trends in propagation, scion-stock relationship, planting systems, cropping systems, canopy management, nutrient management, water management, fertigation, role of bio-regulators, abiotic factors limiting fruit production, physiology of flowering, pollination, fruit set and development, honeybees in cross pollination, physiological disorders–causes and remedies, quality improvement by management practices; maturity indices, harvesting, grading, packing, storage and ripening techniques; industrial and export potential, Agri. Export Zones (AEZ) and industrial supports. Crops: Mango, Banana, Citrus, Papaya, Guava, Sapota, Annonas, Aonla, Bael, Wood apple, Jamun, Pomegranate, Ber and minor fruits of tropics. 

Unit 2: Subtropical and Temperate Fruit Production

Commercial varieties of regional, national and international importance, eco-physiological requirements, recent trends in propagation, scion-stock relationship, planting systems, cropping systems, root zone and canopy management, nutrient management, water management, fertigation, role of bio - regulators, abiotic factors limiting fruit production, physiology of flowering, pollination, fruit set and development, honeybees in cross pollination, physiological disorders-causes and remedies, quality improvement by management practices; maturity indices, harvesting, grading, packing, storage and ripening techniques; industrial and export potential, Agri. Export Zones (AEZ) and industrial supports. Crops: Avocado, Pineapple, Jackfruit, Mangosteen, Carambola, Fig and Rambutan, Litchi, Loquat, Apple, Pear, Quince, Grapes, Plums, Peach, Apricot, Cherries, Persimmon, Kiwifruit, Strawberry, Walnut, Almond, Pistachio, Hazelnut. 

Unit 3: Biodiversity and Conservation 

Biodiversity and conservation; issues and goals, centres of origin of cultivated fruits; primary and secondary centres of genetic diversity; present status of gene centres; exploration and collection of germplasm; Role of NAGS ; Conservation of genetic resources–conservation insitu and exsitu. Germplasm conservation – problem of recal citrancy-cold storage of scions, tissue culture, cryopreservation, pollen and seed storage; inventory of germplasm, introduction of germplasm, plant quarantine; intellectual property rights, regulatory horticulture. Detection of genetic constitution of germplasm and maintenance of core group; GIS and documentation of local biodiversity, geographical indication. Crops: Mango, Sapota, Citrus, Guava, Banana, Papaya, Grapes, Jackfruit, Custard apple, Ber, Aonla, Malus &Prunus sp., Litchi andNuts. 

Unit 4: Canopy Management in Fruit Crops 

Canopy management - importance and advantages; factors affecting canopy development; Canopy types and structures with special emphasis on geometry of planting, canopy manipulation for optimum utilization of light. Light interception and distribution in different types of tree canopies; Spacing and utilization of land area - canopy classification; Canopy management through rootstock and scion; Canopy management through plant growth retardants, training and pruning and management practices; Canopy development and management in relation to growth, flowering, fruiting and fruit quality in temperate fruits, Grapes, Mango,Sapota,Guava,Citrus and Ber. 

Unit 5: Breeding of Fruit Crops 

Origin and distribution, taxonomical status - species and cultivars, cytogenetics, genetic resources, blossom biology, breeding systems, breeding objectives, breeding constraints ideo types, approaches for crop improvement – introduction, selection, hybridization, mutation breeding, polyploidy breeding, rootstock breeding, improvement of quality traits, resistance breeding for biotic and abiotic stresses, biotechnological interventions, achievements and future thrust in the following selected fruit crops. Crops: Mango, Banana, Pineapple, Citrus, Grapes, Guava, Sapota, Jackfruit, Papaya, Custard apple, Aonla, Avocado, Ber, Litchi, Jamun, Phalsa, Mulberry, Raspberry, Apple, Pear, Plums, Peach, Apricot, Cherries and Strawberry. 

Unit 6: Post-Harvest Technology

 Maturity indices, harvesting practices and grading for specific market requirements, influence of pre-harvest practices, enzymatic and textural changes, respiration, transpiration; Physiology and biochemistry of fruit ripening, ethylene evolution and ethylene management, factors leading to post-harvest loss, pre-cooling; Treatment prior to shipment, viz., chlorination, waxing, chemicals, bio-control agents and natural plant products, fungicides, hot water, vapour heat treatment, sulphur fumigation and irradiation. Methods of storage-ventilated, refrigerated, MAS, CA storage, physical injuries and disorders; Packing methods and transport, quality evaluation, principles and methods of preservation, food processing, canning, fruit juices, beverages, pickles, jam, jelly, candy; Dried and dehydrated products, nutritionally enriched products, fermented fruit beverages, packaging technology, processing waste management and food safety standards; Role of HACCP. 

Unit 7: Growth and Development

Definition, parameters of growth and development, growth dynamics, morphogenesis; Annual, semiperennial and perennial horticultural crops, environmental impact on growth and development, effect of light, photosynthesis and photoperiodism, vernalisation, effect of temperature, heat units, thermoperiodism; Assimilate partitioning during growth and development, influence of water and mineral nutrition during growth and development, biosynthesis of auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, abscisic acid, ethylene, brassinosteroids, growth inhibitors, morphactins, role of plant growth promoters and inhibitors, developmental physiology and biochemistry during dormancy, bud break, juvenility, vegetative to reproductive interphase, flowering, pollination, fertilization and fruit set, fruit drop, fruit growth, ripening and seed development; Growth and developmental process during stress - manipulation of growth and development, impact of pruning and training, chemical manipulations in horticultural crops, molecular and genetic approaches in plant growth development. 

Unit 8: Biotechnology of Fruit Crops 

Harnessing bio-technology for improvement of horticultural crops, influence of plant materials, physical, chemical factors and growth regulators on growth and development of plant cell, tissue and organ culture; Callus culture -types, cell division, differentiation, morphogenesis, organogenesis, embryogenesis; Use of bioreactors and in vitro methods for production of secondary metabolites, suspension culture, nutrition of tissues and cells, regeneration of tissues, ex vitro, establishment of tissue culture plants; Physiology of hardening - hardening and field transfer, organ culture-meristem, embryo, anther, ovule culture, embryo rescue, soma clonal variation, protoplast culture and fusion; Construction and identification of somatic hybrids and cybrids, wide hybridization, in vitro pollination and fertilization, haploids, in vitro mutation, artificial seeds, cryopreservation, rapid clonal propagation, genetic engineering and transformation in horticulture crops, use of molecular markers. In vitro selection for biotic and abiotic stress, achievements of biotechnology in horticultural crops and application of gene editing tools in horticultural crops. 

Unit 9: Protected Fruit Culture

Greenhouse – world scenario, Indian situation; present and future, different agro-climatic zones in India, environmental factors and their effects on plant growth; Basics of green house design, different types of structures-glasshouse, shade net, poly tunnels-Design and development of low cost green house structures; Interaction of light, temperature, humidity, CO2, water on crop regulation - Greenhouse heating, cooling, ventilation and shading; Types of ventilation-Forced cooling techniques-Glazing materials-Micro irrigation and Fertigation; Automated green houses, microcontrollers, waste water recycling, management of pest and diseases-IPDM. 

Unit 10: Principles and Practices of Plant Propagation 

Introduction, life cycle in plants, cellular basis for propagation. Sexual propagation – apomixis, polyembryony, chimeras. Factors influencing seed germination, hormonal regulation of germination and seedling growth. Seed quality, treatment, packing, storage, certification and testing. Rooting of cuttings under mist and hot beds. Physiological, anatomical and biochemical aspects of root induction in cuttings. Selection of elite mother plants. Establishment of bud wood bank. Stock, scion and inter stock relationship and incompatibility. Physiology of dwarfing rootstocks. Rejuvenation of senile and seedling orchards progeny orchard and scion bank. Micropropagation In vitro clonal propagation, director ganogenesis, embryogenesis, micro grafting and meristem culture. Hardening, packing and transport of micro-propagules.