TNPSC Horticulture Assistant Director Recruitment 2023 - Job Notification, Dates, Online Form

Horticulture: Unit 01

• Scope and importance of horticulture, scenario of horticulture industry in the regional, national and global economy, area and production, export and import, nutritive value of horticultural crops, horticultural therapy
• Role of soil and climate on crop production, planting system-HDP, UHDP, and meadow orchard, importance and methods of irrigation, water stress management, essential and beneficial nutrients
• Classification, functions, and deficiency symptoms of primary, secondary, and micronutrients in horticulture crops, fertigation, weed management, training and pruning, cropping systems, mulching, role of growth regulators, off season production
• Physiological disorders and its remedies, pests and diseases management strategies, maturity indices, harvest, grading, post harvest handling, importance of protected cultivation in horticultural crops, vegetable forcing
• Hydroponics, nutrient film technique, aeroponics, precision horticulture, commercial horticulture, GAP, GMP, organic horticulture and certification, horticulture developmental agencies, programmes and commodity boards

Horticulture: Unit 02

• Sexual propagation, principles, advantages and disadvantages, apomixis, polyembryony, seed dormancy, and methods to overcome the dormancy, factors influencing seed germination, protrays, containers, media, growing structures, management of fruit nursery
• Asexual propagation-principles, advantages, and disadvantages, mist chamber, rooting of vegetatively propagated plants, physiological, anatomical, and biochemical basis of root induction
• Layering, grafting, and budding principles-methods, problems, and measures to overcome, stock and scion relationship, incompatibility
• Propagation through specialized plant parts, rejuvenation of senile orchards through top working, progeny orchard and bud wood bank, hardening, nutrient management, pest and disease management in nursery
• Nursery certification, micro propagation-principles and concepts, in vitro clonal propagation techniques-media, growth hormones, callus induction, direct and indirect organogenesis, synthetic seeds, meristem culture, embryogenesis
• Micro grafting, callus induction and sub culturing, hardening, packing and transport of micro propagated plants

Horticulture: Unit 03

• Important phases of growth and development-definitions, photosynthetic productivity, leaf area index (LAI), optimum LAI in horticultural crops
• Canopy development: Different stages of growth, growth curves, growth analysis in horticultural crops
• Plant bioregulators-auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, ethylene, inhibitors, and retardants, basic functions, biosynthesis, role in crop growth and development, propagation, flowering, fruit setting, fruit thinning, fruit development
• Fruit drop and fruit ripening
• Physiological basis of training and pruning, source and sink relationship
• Seed development and maturation, seed dormancy and bud dormancy, causes and breaking methods in horticultural crops
• Factors affecting flowering, physiology of flowering, photoperiodism in horticultural crops
• Physiology of fruit growth and development, fruit setting, ripening-study of chemical manipulations on growth and development, understanding stress impact on growth and development

Horticulture: Unit 04

• Scope and importance of plant breeding in horticultural crops, breeding systems and objectives, plant genetic resources, modes of reproduction, mechanisms of pollination control, sterility, and incompatibility, effect of mating systems
• Methods of breeding in annual vegetable crops (cross and self pollinated crops), approaches for crop improvement-introduction, selection, hybridization
• Pedigree breeding, bulk, single seed descent method, mass selection, recurrent and reciprocal recurrent selection, back cross breeding, heterosis breeding
• Development of F1 hybrids, synthetics, composites, mutation breeding, polyploidy breeding, breeding for quality traits, resistance breeding for biotic and abiotic stress
• Methods of breeding in fruit crops-objectives, modes of reproduction, approaches for crop improvement-introduction, selection, hybridization, mutation breeding , polyploidy breeding, breeding for quality traits
• Resistance breeding for biotic and abiotic stresses, biotechnological interventions
• In vitro and molecular approaches, molecular tools for breeding, molecular markers, protein based and PCR based detection for genetic confirmation, in vitro mutation breeding, genetic transformation methods, vector transformation and particle bombardment
• RNAi technology-emerging concepts and applications in horticultural crops

Horticulture: Unit 05

• Scope and importance, current scenario on national and international level production and trade of fruit crops, field gene bank and cryopreservation of fruit crops, species-varieties/ hybrids
• Climate and soil requirements and its influence on crop growth, propagation methods and nursery technologies, rootstocks influence, planting systems including high density planting (HDP) and ultra high density planting (UHDP)
• Canopy management and crop regulation, water management, nutrient management, fertigation, cropping systems, training and pruning, mulching, weed management, use of plant growth regulators, special horticultural practices
• Role of biotic and abiotic factors, limits of fruit production and their management, nutrient deficiency and physiological disorder and its corrective measures, maturity indices, harvesting, ripening, post harvest management
• Supply chain management of important fruit crops: Mango, banana, acidlime, sweet orange, grapes, papaya, guava, sapota, pineapple, jackfruit, pomegranate, annona, ber, aonla, apple, pear, plum, peach, strawberry, litchi, avocado
• Supply chain management of important fruit crops: Walnut and almond, and minor fruit crops

Horticulture: Unit 06

• Scope and importance of warm, cool, and under exploited vegetable crops, current scenario on national and international level of production and trade of vegetable crops, types of vegetable farming, commercial varieties/ hybrids
• Seasons, seed rate and seed treatment, nursery management, protray nursery, sowing/ planting, cropping systems, nutrient management, fertigation, irrigation management, plant growth regulators, intercultural operations, weed management, mulching
• Biotic and abiotic stresses and their management, nutrient deficiency and physiological disorder and its corrective measures, maturity standards, harvesting, post harvest management, protected cultivation, precision farming
• Seed production techniques of vegetable crops: Tomato, brinjal, chilli, and capsicum (sweet pepper), bhendi, leguminous, vegetables (beans, peas, cluster beans, cowpea, dolichos bean), bulbous vegetables (onion)
• Seed production techniques of vegetable crops: Cucurbitaceous vegetables (cucumber, bitter gourd, snake gourd, ridge gourd, ash gourd, musk melon, watermelon, pumpkin), cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, and knolkhol)
• Seed production techniques of vegetable crops: Root vegetables (carrot, radish, beetroot, turnip), leafy vegetables (spinach, lettuce, palak, amaranthus), perennial vegetables (drumstick, coccinea), underexploited vegetables

Horticulture: Unit 07

• Scope and importance of floriculture industry, loose flower production and trade, national and international status, commercial varieties/ hybrids, climatic and soil requirements, field preparation-season, systems of planting, transplanting techniques
• Precision farming techniques, water and nutrient management, weed management, training and pruning, special horticultural practices-pinching, disbudding, use of growth regulators, physiological disorders and remedies, biotic and abiotic stress management
• Harvest indices, harvesting techniques, post harvest handling and grading, pre-cooling, packing and storage, transportation and marketing
• Value addition, dry flowers, pigment extraction, concrete and essential oil extraction of important loose flower crops-jasmine, scented rose, chrysanthemum, tuberose, marigold, crossandra, celosia, gomphrena, nerium
• Influence of environmental parameters, light, temperature, moisture, humidity, and CO2 on growth, and flowering, water and nutrient management, fertigation, weed management, ratooning, training and pruning, special horticultural practices
• Use of growth regulators, flower forcing and year round flowering through physiological interventions, chemical regulation, physiological disorders and remedies, environmental manipulation, biotic and abiotic stress management
• Cut flower standards and grades, harvest indices, harvesting techniques, post-harvest handling of cut rose, cut chrysanthemum, carnation, gerbera, anthurium, orchids, gladiolus, cut foliages and fillers
• Principles of landscape designing, styles of gardening, types of gardening viz. Mughal, Japanese, English, Persian, Italian, French gardening, garden components, plants for container growing, indoor plants, plants for instant gardens
• Plants for spring, summer, winter, and autumn, ornamental trees and burlapping-shrub, annuals, climbers, and creepers, hedge and edge plants (foliage and flowering), cactus and succulent, xeriscapping, interior scaping, garden adornments
• Principles and styles of flower arrangements, Bonsai styles and culture, different gardening: Industrial, institutional, public, and private landscaping, vertical garden, roof garden, terrace garden, sky rise garden, scenic gardens
• Landscaping for roadways and traffic islands, garden with water features and water conservation, speciality garden-dish, terrarium, bottle, miniature, bog, and rock garden
• Lawn, classification of turf grasses, conditions for healthy turf, soil properties, micro irrigation, nutrient management, turf grass establishment and maintenance, astroturf and maintenance
• Overview of software for computer aided design and drafting (CADD), AUTOCAD plants and design, AUTOCAD-file handling

Horticulture: Unit 08

• Scope and importance of spices and plantation crops, present status, national and international trade, climatic and soil requirements, commercial varieties/ hybrids, season, propagation, sowing/ planting, seed rate and seed treatment
• Nutrient and water management, intercropping, mixed cropping, multitier cropping, weed management, mulching, shade and canopy regulation, nutrient deficiencies, biotic and abiotic stress management, harvest and post harvest management, and processing
• Organic farming and certification of major spices and plantation crops
• Spice crops: Black pepper, cardamom, turmeric, ginger, coriander, fenugreek, fennel, cumin and ajowan, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, allspice, tamarind, garcinia, garlic, vanilla, curry leaf, and paprika
• Plantation crops: Coffee, tea, rubber, cashew, coconut, oil palm, palmyrah, arecanut, cocoa, and betelvine

Horticulture: Unit 09

• Scope and importance of medicinal and aromatic plants
• Production and trade, national and international scenario of herbal and perfumery industry, WTO, export and import status, Indian system of medicine, in situ and ex situ conservation
• Classification of medicinal and aromatic crops, organic production and certification, climatic and soil requirements, varieties and species, propagation, sowing/planting, nutrient and water management, weed management, biotic and abiotic stress management
• Harvest index-harvesting, post harvest handling-drying, processing, grading, packing and storage, processing and value addition, quality standards in herbal products
• Production of secondary metabolites-distillation of essential oils and quality analysis
• GAP, GCP, GMP
• Medicinal crops: Senna, periwinkle, coleus, aswagandha, glory lily, and sarpagandha
• Dioscorea sp., aloe vera, phyllanthus amarus, andrographis paniculata and medicinal solanum , isabgol, poppy, safed musli, stevia rebaudiana, and mucuna pruriens
• Aromatic crops: Palmarosa, lemongrass, citronella, vettiver, geranium, artemisia, mentha, ocimum, eucalyptus, rosemary, thyme, patchouli, lavender, marjoram, oreganum

Horticulture: Unit 10

• Scope and importance, national and global scenario of post harvest technology in horticultural crops, harvest indices, harvesting methods in horticultural crops, harvesting practices for specific market requirements
• Influence of pre harvest factors on post harvest quality and shelf life of horticultural crops, factors leading to post harvest losses
• Ethylene action on ripening of fruits and ethylene management, pre-cooling, treatments prior to transport, chlorination, waxing, chemicals, biocontrol agents and natural plant products
• Storage methods viz. ventilated, refrigerated, MAS, CAS, physical injuries and disorders during storage, post harvest disease and insect management
• Packaging technologies, packaging materials and transport, principles and methods of preservation, minimal processing of fruits and vegetables, pre-treatment, blanching, canning, and irradiation
• Value added including, encapsulated fruit flavours, nutritionally enriched/ fortified products in horticultural crops, food safety standards

General studies: Unit 01

• Physics: Universe, general scientific laws, scientific instruments, inventions and discoveries, national scientific laboratories, science glossary, mechanics and properties of matter, physical quantities, standards and units-force, motion, and energy
• Physics: Electricity and magnetism, electronics and communication-heat, light, and sound, atomic and nuclear physics, solid state physics, spectroscopy, geophysics, astronomy and space science
• Chemistry: Elements and compounds, acids, bases, and salts, oxidation and reduction, chemistry of ores and metals-carbon, nitrogen and their compounds, fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, biochemistry and biotechnology, electrochemistry
• Chemistry: Polymers and plastics
• Botany: Main concepts of life science, the cell-basic unit of life, classification of living organism, nutrition and dietetics, respiration, excretion of metabolic waste, biocommunication
• Zoology: Blood and blood circulation, endocrine system, reproductive system, genetics the science of heredity, environment, ecology, health and hygiene, biodiversity and its conservation, human diseases
• Zoology: Communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases, prevention and remedies, alcoholism and drug abuse, animals, plants, and human life

General studies: Unit 02

• History: Latest diary of events, national, national symbols, profile of states-defence, national security and terrorism, world organizations, pacts and summits, eminent persons and places in news, sports and games, books and authors, awards and honours
• History: Cultural panorama, latest historical events, india and its neighbours, latest terminology, appointments-who is who?
• Political science: 1. India’s foreign policy 2. latest court verdicts-public opinion 3. problems in conduct of public elections 4. political parties and political system in India 5. public awareness and general administration
• Political science: 6. role of voluntary organizations and government 7. welfare oriented government schemes, their utility
• Geography: Geographical landmarks, policy on environment and ecology
• Economics: Current socio-economic problems, new economic policy and government sector
• Science: Latest inventions on science and technology, latest discoveries in health science-mass media and communication

General studies: Unit 03

• Earth and universe, solar system, atmosphere hydrosphere, lithosphere, monsoon, rainfall, weather and climate, water resources, rivers in India, soil, minerals, and natural resources, natural vegetation
• Forest and wildlife, agricultural pattern, livestock and fisheries, transport including surface transport and communication, social geography, population-density and distribution, natural calamities, disaster management, climate change
• Impact and consequences, mitigation measures, pollution control

General studies: Unit 04

• Pre-historic events, Indus valley civilization-Vedic, Aryan, and Sangam age, Maurya dynasty, Buddhism and Jainism-Guptas, Delhi sultans, Mughals and Marathas, age of Vijayanagaram and the bahmanis, south Indian history
• Culture and heritage of Tamil people, advent of European invasion-expansion and consolidation of British rule, effect of British rule on socio-economic factors, social reforms and religious movements, India since independence
• Characteristics of Indian culture, unity in diversity-race, colour, language, custom, India as secular state, organizations for fine arts, dance, drama, music, growth of rationalist, Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu, political parties and populist schemes
• Prominent personalities in the various spheres-arts, science, literature, and philosophy, Mother Teresa, Swami Vivekananda, Pandit Ravishankar , M.S.Subbulakshmi, Rukmani Arundel and J.Krishnamoorthy etc

General studies: Unit 05

• Constitution of India, preamble to the constitution, salient features of constitution-union, state, and territory, citizenship, rights amend duties, fundamental rights, fundamental duties, human rights charter, union legislature, parliament
• State executive, state legislature, assembly, status of Jammu and Kashmir, local government, panchayat raj-Tamil Nadu, judiciary in India, rule of law/ due process of law, Indian federalism, center-state relations
• Emergency provisions, civil services in India, administrative challenges in a welfare state, complexities of district administration, elections, election commission union and state
• Official language and schedule-VIII, amendments to constitution, schedules to constitution
• Administrative reforms and tribunals, corruption in public life, anticorruption measures, Central Vigilance Commission, Lok Adalats, Ombudsman, Comptroller and Auditor General of India, right to information, central and state commission
• Empowerment of women, voluntary organizations and public grievances redressal, consumer protection forms

General studies: Unit 06

• Nature of Indian economy, need for economic planning, five-year plan models-an assessment, land reforms and agriculture, application of science in agriculture industrial growth, capital formation and investment, role of public sector and disinvestment
• Development of infrastructure, national income, public finance and fiscal policy, price policy and public distribution, banking, money, and monetary policy, role of foreign direct investment (FDI), WTO-globalization and privatization
• Rural welfare oriented programmes, social sector problems, population, education, health, employment, poverty, HRD-sustainable economic growth, economic trends in Tamil Nadu, energy different sources and development, finance commission
• Planning commission, national development council

General studies: Unit 07

• National renaissance, early uprising against British rule, 1857 revolt, Indian National Congress, emergence of national leaders-Gandhi, Nehru, Tagore, Nethaji, growth of militant movements, different modes of agitations
• Era of different acts and pacts, World War and final phase struggle, communalism led to partition, role of Tamil Nadu in freedom struggle-Rajaji, VOC, Periyar, Bharathiar and others, birth of political parties/ political system in India since independence

General studies: Unit 08

• Conversion of information to data, collection, compilation, and presentation of data, tables, graphs, diagrams, parametric representation of data, analytical interpretation of data, simplification, percentage
• Highest common factor (HCF), lowest common multiple (LCM), ratio and proportion, simple interest, compound interest, area, volume, time, and work, behavioural ability-basic terms, communications in information technology
• Application of information and communication technology (ICT), decision making and problem solving, logical reasoning, puzzles, dice, visual reasoning, alpha numeric reasoning, number series, logical number/ alphabetical/ diagrammatic sequences