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Technical

100 Marks

Agricultural Officer

The Kerala Public Service Commission recruits Agricultural Officers for the Agriculture Development and Farmers' Welfare Department. The exam is conducted online as an objective multiple-choice test and is based on educational qualifications.

90m

10s

#kerala-psc#agriculture#agricultural-officer#degree-level#crop-production

Syllabus Explorer

SOIL SCIENCE & AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY

Sec 1

Adsorption of ions - ion exchange - CEC and AEC.Carbon cycle - C: N ratio.Concept of pH - soil acidity - saline, sodic and calcareous soils.Layer silicate clays - their genesis and sources of charges.Nanotechnology- definition, concepts and techniques, nano-particles, nano-pesticides, nano-fertilizers, nano-sensors.Organic certification – accreditation agencies, certification agencies, NSOP, NPOP.Organic farming and food security- Tools and practices of organic farming.Precision agriculture: Geo-informatics- GIS and remote sensing concepts application in agriculture-Global positioning system (GPS),components and its functions.Problem soils of Kerala - characteristics, problems and management/reclamation; Salt affected soils- Arid soils -Acid soils- submerged soils- Eroded soils-Acid sulphate soils-Degraded soils.Soil biology – biomass - soil organisms and their beneficial and harmful roles.Soil colloids - properties – nature - types and significance.Soil fertility evaluation - soil testing - rating of soil fertility (organic carbon, major, secondary and micronutrients).Soil organic matter - composition - decomposability - humus fractionation of organic matter.Soil physical properties - soil texture - soil consistency - soil crusting-bulk density and particle density of soils and porosity - their significance and manipulation- Soil compaction - Soil colour.Soil-Pedological and edaphological concepts.Soils of India - geological processes and formations – characterization of soils of Kerala.Weathering - soil formation - factors and processes - soil profile.

AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS

Sec 2

Agricultural economics- Basic concepts: Goods and services, desire, want, demand, utility, cost and price, wealth, tax, capital, income and welfare.Agricultural Marketing: Concepts and definitions of market, marketing, agricultural marketing, market structure, marketing mix and market segmentation, classification and characteristics of agricultural markets.Demand, supply and producer's surplus of agri-commodities: nature and determinants of demand and supply of farm products, producer's surplus.Theories- Utility theory; law of diminishing marginal utility, equi-marginal utility principle.

AGRONOMY

Sec 3

Agriculture -scope- Importance of agriculture and agricultural resources available in India.Agro ecology of Kerala - agro ecological zones and agro ecological units, monsoon in Kerala, cropping seasons of Kerala.Agronomy - scope, seeds and sowing, tillage and tilth, crop density and geometry.Biological nitrogen fixation - biofertilizers.Classification of crops – agronomic, botanical, ontogenic.Crop nutrition-essential nutrients – criteria of essentiality, classification, functions and deficiencies.Drought – classification, drought adaptation mechanisms in crops, drought management in major crops of Kerala.Economic importance - soil and climatic requirements - area and production – varieties – seed rate spacing – methods of sowing/planting -manurial schedule- cultural practices and yield of major field crops of Kerala, viz, rice, tuber crops (cassava, sweet potato, yams and aroids), sugarcane, pulses, groundnut, sesamum and fodder crops, viz., guinea and hybrid napier.Farming system components - Cropping system and pattern, multiple cropping system-Sustainable agriculture-problems and its impact on agriculture, indicators of sustainability, adaptation and mitigation, conservation agriculture strategies, HEIA, LEIA and LEISA, ecological principles of LEISA.Growth and development of crops, factors affecting growth and development, crop rotation and its principles, adaptation and distribution of crops.Herbicide calculations, calibration of sprayers and spraying specifications for herbicides.Homestead farming system.Integrated weed management in rice, banana, coconut.Irrigation efficiency- Water productivity and water use efficiency- Agricultural drainage-causes of water logging and types of drainage.Irrigation- Water management of principal crops of Kerala.Main empirical methods of calculation of ETo- Effective rainfall, Water requirement of crops- Scheduling irrigation– Methods of irrigation-.Surface, subsurface, overhead and micro irrigations.Manures and fertilizers - nutrient use efficiency – fertilizer calculations.Quality of irrigation water.Rainfed agriculture – dry farming, dryland farming, rainfed farming.Soil moisture constants-Evapo-transpiration, potential evapo-transpiration and consumptive use, Reference crop evapo-transpiration (ETo)- Crop co-efficient (Kc)- Kc values for different crops.Specialty fertilizers – 100 per cent water soluble, fortified, customised, slow release fertilizers, nitrification inhibitors.Water resources and irrigation development in India and Kerala.Watershed - types – characteristics and management.Weeds importance, classification, invasive weeds of Kerala, crop weed competition, allelopathy, concepts of weed management – principles and methods, herbicides classification, selectivity and resistance, allelopathy.

AGRICULTURAL ENTOMOLOGY

Sec 4

Basic concept of host plant resistance.Biocontrol of pests.Categories of pests of agriculture.Damage in major crops and management of nematodes, mites, rodents, birds, molluscs (snail).Distribution, bioecology, nature and symptoms of damage and management strategies of major insect pests of Field crops: rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, ragi, sugarcane, cotton and oil seeds – groundnut, sesamum, castor, sunflower and mustard, pulses.Economic classification of insects.Economically important insects - silkworms, lac insects, pollinators, predators, parasites, weed killers, soil builders, scavengers and insects used for scientific investigation.External Morphology, Anatomy and general Physiology, structure and function of digestive, circulatory, respiratory, excretory, reproductive, endocrine, exocrine, nervous systems and sense organs.Integrated Pest Management: Principles of IPM, concept of economic threshold and economic injury levels, tools of IPM.Microbial control.Newer trends in insect pest management – pheromones, Insect Growth Regulators, Chitin synthesis Inhibitors, biotechnological methods.Pesticides: Insecticide act and rules.Regulatory control- plant quarantine and phytosanitory certificate.Tuber crops, fruit crops, plantation crops, ornamentals, medicinal and aromatic plants and stored products pests.Types of metamorphosis.Vegetable crops: solanaceous, cruciferous, leafy vegetables, polyhouse vegetables.

OLERICULTURE

Sec 5

Basic principles in vegetable production- nursery, sowing and transplanting, care and management.Factors affecting vegetable production.Importance and scope of vegetable crops in India with special reference to Kerala.Packing and transport, marketing of vegetables.Plant protection special precautions in vegetables.Production and management of warm season and cool vegetables of Kerala.Seed production in cool season vegetables, post harvest handling- losses; causes and measures to reduce losses.Types of vegetable farming-Systems of vegetable cultivation- traditional and specialized systems.

PLANT PATHOLOGY

Sec 6

Categories of diseases-IDM.Development and validation of IDM module- IDM programmes in cereals, vegetables, pulses, tuber crops, spices and plantation crops and ornamentals.Diseases due to abiotic /biotic causes: Causes/ factors affecting disease development- disease triangle and tetrahedron.Epidemiology: Factors affecting disease development.Fungi-Bacteria-Viruses and mollicutes-Morphology, classification, reproduction, transmission, dispersal and survival.Importance of plant diseases.Important plant pathogenic organisms- Fungi, bacteria, fastidious vascular bacteria, virus, viroids, phytoplasma, spiroplasma, algae, protozoa, nematodes, phanerogamic parasites.Methods of control: Host plant resistance, cultural, mechanical, physical, legislative, biological and chemical control.Principles and methods of plant disease management- symptoms, etiology, disease cycle and management of diseases of rice, wheat, sugarcane, groundnut, pulses, vegetables, tubers, citrus, mango, banana, grapevine, pineapple, papaya, guava, sapota, cashew, apple, coconut, arecanut, cocoa, black pepper, ginger, cardamom, tree spices, oil palm, betelvine, coffee, tea, rubber and ornamentals.Survey, surveillance and forecasting of diseases.

HORTICULTURE

Sec 7

Commercial orchards, gardens and plantations – selection of site for crops - climate, soil, socio-economic factors.Gardening and landscaping-scope and methods.Horticulture - area, production, productivity of horticultural crops in India and Kerala – branches of horticulture – major fruit crops (Pomology) – importance, nutritional value, production technologies.Important seed and herbal classification, medicinal plants -different methods of classification, active principles, aromatic plants- Botany, varieties, production technology, active principles and uses, plantation crops of Kerala - commercially cultivated varieties, production technologies – improved propagation methods.Micro propagation of horticultural plants.Ornamental and flowering plants (Floriculture) - cultivation of commercial ornamental and flower crops.Plant growth regulators in horticulture.Plant propagation techniques - definition and basic concepts, type-structures - commercial propagation of horticultural crops.Post harvest management of major horticultural crops of Kerala.Techniques of training and pruning, problems of unfruitfulness - internal factors, external factors.

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

Sec 8

Community development-Rural Leadership: concept and definition, types of leaders in rural context; extension administration.Extension Education-Extension Programme planning- Meaning, Process, Principles and Steps in Programme Development.Extension systems in India: various extension/ agriculture development programmes launched by ICAR/ Govt. of India (IADP, IAAP, HYVP, KVK, IVLP, ORP, ND, NATP, NAIP, etc.).Extension teaching methods- Sociology and Rural sociology.Management in extension, participatory approaches, entrepreneurship in agriculture, communication and transfer of technology in agriculture.New trends in agricultural extension-Various rural development programmes launched by Govt. of India.

PLANT BREEDING AND GENETICS

Sec 9

Domestication, Acclimatization, Multiline concept.Genetic basis and methods of breeding cross pollinated crops, modes of selection; Heterosis and inbreeding depression, development of inbred lines and hybrids, composite and synthetic varieties.Germplasm - Methods of conservation and utilization in crop improvement.Hardy-Weinberg Law.Heredity, Mendelian principles of heredity, Cell division.Hybrid seed production technology in Maize, Rice, Sorghum, Pearl millet and Pigeonpea, etc.Ideotype concept and climate resilient crop varieties for future.Intellectual Property Rights – meaning, GATT, WTO, TRIPs, WIPO, patents, copyrights, trademark, industrial design, geographical indications, integrated circuits, trade secrets.Major breeding objectives for crop improvement and procedures including conventional and modern innovative approaches for development of hybrids and varieties for yield, adaptability, stability, abiotic and biotic stress tolerance and quality.Micropropagation -organogenesis and embryogenesis-different stages of micropropagation - commercial micropropagation, quality assurance of tissue culture plants.Mutation, classification, Methods of inducing mutation & CIB technique, mutagenic agents and induction of mutation.Patent Act 1970 and patent system in India.Plant tissue culture for crop improvement.Qualitative & Quantitative traits, Polygenes and continuous variations, multiple factor hypothesis.Seed production technology in self pollinated, cross pollinated and vegetatively propagated crops.

SEED AND SEED TECHNOLOGY

Sec 10

Foundation and certified seed production of important cereals (Rice, wheat and maize), pulses (Cowpea, mung, urd, pigeonpea, field bean and soyabean), oilseeds (Sesame, coconut, sunflower, groundnut), fodder (Guinea grass, napier grass and lucern), and vegetables (Bhindi, tomato, brinjal, chillies and cucurbitaceous vegetables).Seed Act and Seed Act enforcement- Central Seed Committee, Central Seed Certification Board, State Seed Certification Agency, Central and State Seed Testing Laboratories.Seed certification, field inspection.Seeds Control Order 1983 and Seed Bill 2004, IPR- Intellectual Property Rights.

Technical

100 Marks

Overseer Grade III ||| Draftsman Grade II

The Kerala Public Service Commission (Kerala PSC) conducts examinations for the recruitment of Overseer Grade III in the Kerala Water Authority and Draftsman Grade II in the Ground Water Department.

90m

14s

#kerala-psc#civil-engineering#draftsman#overseer#technical-exam

Syllabus Explorer

AUTOCAD

Sec 1

Basic commandsDrawing toolbar and modifying toolbarIntroduction to AutoCADPlotting and printing

Belt Drive and Gear drive

Sec 2

Materials of belts, slip and creep, Velocity of belt. Arc of contact.Simple exercise in calculation of belt speeds, nos. of belts needed in V-belt drive, velocity, pulley ratio etc.Standard pulleys width of pulley face, velocity ratio chain drive.Cast gears and machined gears.Different types of gears.Knowledge of profile of gears etc.

BUILDING DRAWING AND ESTIMATING

Sec 3

Building rules and byelawsEstimation, Rules and methods of measurements of workRate analysis and valuation

BASIC ENGINEERING DRAWING

Sec 4

Conic section and projectionDrawing instruments, equipment and materialsLettering, dimensioning and scalePlane geometrical construction

SURVEYING

Sec 5

Contouring, Theodolite surveyConventional surveyingIntroduction and terms used in chain, compass, plane table and leveling surveyModern and advanced surveying instrumentsPrinciple of leveling, Type of leveling, Reduction of levels

Develop surface and Interpenetration of solid in orthographic projection.

Sec 6

Calculation of developed lengths of geometrical solids.Definition of development.Development of an oblique cone with elliptical baseDevelopment of surfaces bounded by plane of revolution intersecting each other.different methods of developing the surfaces.Need of development in industry.Common method to find out the curve of interpenetrationDefinition of Intersection & interpenetration curves.Intersection of cylinder.Solution of problems on interpenetration of prism,cones, & pyramids with their axes intersecting at an angle.

Different types of fasteners, welds and locking devices

Sec 7

Screw threads, terms, nomenclature.Threads as per SP46:2003 conventions.Types of screw thread, proportion and their uses,Different types of foundation bolts and their uses.Different types of locking devices.Different types of machine screws, cap screws, set screws as per specificationDescription of Welded Joints and their representation.Indication of Welding Symbol on drawing as per SP-46.

Hydraulics and Pneumatics

Sec 8

Brief description of a typical hydraulic system, components,Different types of hydraulic actuator.Symbol and working of hydraulic DC valve, non- return valve and throttle valve.Working principle and function of hydraulic jack.FRL or air service unit and pneumatic actuator.Knowledge of typical pneumatic system.

Limits, fit, tolerance.

Sec 9

Familiarization with IS: 919, IS:2709.Indications of symbols for machining and surface finishes on drawingLimits, fit, tolerance. Toleranced dimensioning, geometrical tolerance.Production of interchangeable parts, geometrical tolerance.

UNITS AND MENSURATION

Sec 10

Measurement of Perimeter and Area of triangles Polygons and circlesUnits of measurementsVolume of Solids

HYDRAULICS AND IRRIGATION

Sec 11

Measurement of pressureProperties of fluidReservoir, dam, canals, Cross drainage workStorage and diversion head worksTerms used in IrrigationType of Hydraulic energy

Pipe Joints and riveted joints

Sec 12

Description of different pipe joints fitted on pipe.Expansion joint, loop and other pipe fittings.Causes of failure of rivetedjoint efficiency of rivetedjointsRelation between rivet size and thickness of plates and calculation for arrangement of rivets position.Types of riveted joints, terms and proportions of riveted joints. Conventional representation.Types of rivets, their size proportions and uses

BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION

Sec 13

Stone, Brick, Tiles, Cement, Lime and filler materials Plane cement Concrete, Reinforced cement concrete Timber Foundation, Masonry, Roofing, Flooring Building finishes and services Temporary structural treatment for building construction

Bearings

Sec 14

Knowledge of bearing to reduce friction.

Technical

100 Marks

WORK SUPERINTENDENT IN SOIL SURVEY AND SOIL CONSERVATION

The Kerala PSC Work Superintendent (Direct Recruitment) examination is for the Soil Survey and Soil Conservation Department.

90m

17s

#kerala-psc#work-superintendent#soil-conservation#agricultural-engineering#civil-engineering

Syllabus Explorer

FARM POWER AND MACHINERY

Sec 1

Agricultural implements- simple machines- hand tools and manual soil working implements.Agricultural mechanization :- Scope, objectives, limitations.Field capacities and efficiencies: Calculations-Concept of work, power and energy- Energy efficiency-indicated Horse power-Brake horse power-Drawbar horse power-Mechanical efficiency.Field capacities and efficiencies: primary, secondary-tillage operations - puddling implements - rotary tillers-rotavators. Ridgers, bund formers. Implements and machinery for seeding and planting Seed drills-transplanting equipment. Tools and implements for intercultivation operations-manual weeders, power weeders brush cutter. Equipment for plant protection-calibration. Harvesting, threshing and winnowing machinery- reapers and combine harvesters-. Paddy cultivation equipment.Internal combustion engine- CI & SI engines-types, classification, parts and principles - Principles of two & four stroke cycle engines - Firing orders - valve timing.Prime movers in agricultural farms- Tractors & power tillers- Types -Selection of tractors and tillers. Tractors and their power units - Fuel supply and carburetion system - Ignition, Cooling, lubrication and governing system. Power transmission- clutch-gear box- differential final drive-brake system. Tyres, cage wheels Power tillers - Power transmission system. Tractor hydraulic system three-point linkage position and draft control. Cost of operation of farm machinery.Status indicators, status of mechanization in Kerala.

AUTOCAD

Sec 2

Basic commandsDrawing toolbar and modifying toolbarIntroduction to AutoCADPlotting and printing

Belt Drive and Gear drive

Sec 3

BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION

Sec 4

Building finishes and servicesPlane cement Concrete, Reinforced cement concreteStone, Brick, Tiles, Cement, Lime and filler materialsTemporary structural treatment for building constructionTimber Foundation, Masonary, Roofing, Flooring

BUILDING DRAWING AND ESTIMATING

Sec 5

Building rules and byelawsEstimation, Rules and methods of measurements of workRate analysis and valuation

BASIC ENGINEERING DRAWING

Sec 6

Conic section and projectionDrawing instruments, equipment and materialsLettering, dimensioning and scalePlane geometrical construction

Develop surface and Interpenetration of solid in orthographic projection.

Sec 7

Different types of fasteners, welds and locking devices

Sec 8

Screw threads, terms, nomenclature.Threads as per SP46:2003 conventions.Types of bolts, nuts and studs, and their proportion, uses.Types of screw thread, proportion and their uses,Different types of foundation bolts and their uses.Different types of locking devices.Different types of machine screws, cap screws, set screws as per specificationDescription of Welded Joints and their representation.Indication of Welding Symbol on drawing as per SP-46.

Hydraulics and Pneumatics

Sec 9

SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION ENGINEERING

Sec 10

Introduction : Soil erosion-causes, types and agents of soil erosion; water erosion - forms of water erosion, effect of slope, slope length, soil, vegetation, topographical features and rainfall on erosion. Gullies and their classification, stages of gully development; soil loss estimation - universal soil loss equation and modified soil loss equation. Erosion control measures agronomic measures -contour cropping, strip cropping, mulching; mechanical measures terraces -level and graded broad base terraces, bench terraces. Bunds-contour bunds, graded bunds; gully and ravine reclamation-principles of gully control -vegetative and temporary structures; control measures for stream bank and coastal erosion. Landslides-factors causing it, land slips, Measures for control Land use capability classification; Grassed waterways and their design; Use of Geotextiles in soil and water conservation.

Limits, fit, tolerance.

Sec 11

UNITS AND MENSURATION

Sec 12

Measurement of Perimeter and Area of triangles, polygons and circlesUnits of measurementsVolume of Solids

HYDRAULICS AND IRRIGATION

Sec 13

Measurement of pressureProperties of fluidReservoir, dam, canals, Cross drainage workStorage and diversion head worksTerms used in IrrigationType of Hydraulic energy

Pipe Joints and riveted joints

Sec 14

SURVEYING AND LEVELLING

Sec 15

Plane table survey methods-radiation intersection - traversing - Two-point problem and three-point problem. Leveling Types of benchmarks-Rise and fall method-height of collimation method-Contouring Profile surveying-Cross section survey.Surveying : Basic principles-purpose of surveying-methods of surveying linear measurements. Chain surveying : Types of ranging: direct ranging and indirect ranging -Chaining: Types of chains-ranging rod offsets-types and measurement of offsets cross staff-optical square, degree of accuracy in chaining- Triangulation, intersection, traversing, cross staff survey. Compass Surveying-Prismatic compass-Surveyor's compass - whole circle and reduced bearings - true and magnetic bearing - dip and declination - local attraction.Tacheometric surveying- stadia system- fixed and movable hair methods-instrument constants tangential tacheometry. Computation of area and volume-Simpson's rule planimeter trapezoidal and prismoidal formula.Theodolite Surveying-parts of a theodolite measurement of angles.Use of Minor instruments - Hand levels - Clinometer. Total station and GPS survey -Remote Sensing, Geographical Information System. Building drawing- planning of building as per National Building Code and KBR - Residential and public buildings - plan, section and elevation of buildings (residential and public) for the given plinth area and requirements. Estimate of a building - estimating principle - methods of estimating separate or individual wall method, centre line method.

POST HARVEST ENGINEERING

Sec 16

Post harvest technology of Cereals, Pulses and Oil seeds. Post-harvest losses, importance-basic engineering properties of food materials. Basic psychrometric properties of air-water-vapour mixture. Processing of cereals-rice processing, cleaning and grading, parboiling of paddy, drying, shelling, polishing, by-product utilisation- modern rice mills. Oil seed processing of Coconut, de husking, drying, oil milling pre-treatments, screw press, oil filtration, wetprocessing of coconut, value added products, coconut-based beverages- process and equipment, by-product utilisation. Processing of pulses. Dairy engineering -principles and equipment for receiving, cleaning, cream separation, pasteurization, sterilization, homogenization, drying filling and packaging of milk. Common plantation crops in India. Processing of plantation crops: Tea, coffee, cocoa, arecanut, rubber, cashew nut. Processing of spices and condiments: Pepper, cardamom, ginger, vanilla, and turmeric and chilies value added products. Recommended storage conditions of fruits, vegetables and flowers. Harvesting- pre-cooling - cleaning- washing and grading. Handling-storage-refrigerated-Modified and Controlled atmosphere storage-Refrigeration: drying and dehydration- importance -Types of dryers. Processing of important fruits and vegetables-banana, mango, pineapple, tomato and mushrooms. Packing and transportation of fruits, vegetables and flowers.

Bearings

Sec 17

Knowledge of bearing to reduce friction.

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