Exam Overview

Major Subject Group	Plant Pathology
Sub-Subjects	Plant Pathology, Mycology, Plant Virology, Bacteriology, Nematology
Eligibility	B.Sc. (Ag.) / B.Sc. (Hort.) / B.Sc. (Forestry)

Exam Pattern

Exam Pattern

Feature	Details
Mode of Exam	Computer Based Test (CBT)
Duration	120 Minutes
Total Questions	120 MCQs
Scoring	+4 for Correct, -1 for Incorrect
Medium	English

Subject-wise Syllabus

Part A

Part B

General Agriculture +

• • Agricultural Fundamentals 10-15 Qs
  Crop production in India, Major soil types, Soil fertility and fertilizer use, Weather and climate, Rainfed agriculture, Integrated nutrient management
• • Current Trends 5-10 Qs
  Recent agricultural policies, APEDA, NABARD, New varieties released by ICAR, Sustainable agriculture, Organic farming certifications

Core Plant Pathology +

• • Mycology 25-30 Qs
  History and development of Mycology; General characteristics of fungi; Classification of fungi (Ainsworth, Alexopoulos); Structure and reproduction; Thallus diversity; Oomycota (Pythium, Phytophthora); Zygomycota (Rhizopus, Mucor); Ascomycota (Erysiphe, Claviceps); Basidiomycota (Ustilago, Puccinia); Deuteromycota (Alternaria, Fusarium); Lichens and Mycorrhizae
• • Plant Virology 15-20 Qs
  Nature of viruses; History of virology (Beijerinck, Stanley); Chemical composition and structure (Capsid, Nucleic acids); Nomenclature and classification (ICTV); Symptoms of viral diseases; Transmission of viruses (Insect vectors, Seed, Grafting); Replication mechanisms; Management through cross-protection and resistant varieties; Detection (ELISA, PCR)
• • Plant Bacteriology 15-20 Qs
  Morphology and ultrastructure of bacteria; Classification of phytopathogenic bacteria; Growth and reproduction; Genetics (Transformation, Conjugation, Transduction); Bacterial symptoms (Blight, Canker, Gall); Important genera (Xanthomonas, Pseudomonas, Erwinia, Ralstonia); Phytoplasma and Spiroplasma characteristics; Management of bacterial diseases
• • Principles of Plant Pathology 15-20 Qs
  Concept of plant disease; Disease triangle and tetrahedron; Pathogenesis (Inoculation, Penetration, Infection); Enzymes and toxins in plant disease; Defense mechanisms (Structural, Biochemical, Induced systemic resistance); Epidemiology and disease forecasting; Loss assessment; Genetics of host-pathogen interaction (Flor's Gene-for-gene hypothesis)
• • Management of Plant Diseases 10-15 Qs
  Regulatory methods (Quarantine); Physical methods (Heat, Solarization); Cultural methods (Crop rotation, Sanitation); Biological control (Trichoderma, Pseudomonas fluorescens); Chemical control (Systemic vs Non-systemic fungicides); Integrated Disease Management (IDM); Biotechnological approaches in disease resistance
• • Field Crop Diseases 15-20 Qs
  Cereals (Wheat rust, Rice blast, Karnal bunt); Millets (Green ear of Bajra); Pulses (Wilt of Pigeonpea, Ascochyta blight); Oilseeds (White rust of Mustard, Tikka of Groundnut); Cash crops (Sugarcane red rot, Cotton wilt); Fruits (Mango malformation, Citrus canker); Vegetables (Late blight of Potato, Damping off)

Recommended Books

Book Name	Author/Publisher	Importance
Plant Pathology	G.N. Agrios	Critical (The Bible of Pathology)
Introductory Mycology	Alexopoulos, Mims and Blackwell	High
Plant Pathology at a Glance	Utpal Kumar Bhattacharya	High (Revision)
Introduction to Principles of Plant Pathology	R.S. Singh	Essential

Frequently Asked Questions

Is General Agriculture common for all JRF subjects? +

Yes, Part A consists of basic agricultural questions and is mandatory for all students appearing in the Plant Sciences group.

Which section carries the most weightage? +

Mycology and Field Crop Diseases typically carry the highest weightage in the Plant Pathology paper.

Are there questions on Plant Nematology? +

Yes, basic concepts of Plant Nematology and major nematode-induced diseases (like Root-knot and Ear-cockle) are part of the syllabus.