Agriculture is one of the key source for economic sustinance and all round progress of our country, were more than 70 percent of Indian population is dependent on agriculture.
India with only 2.
5 percent land area, 4 percent fresh water and 1 percent forest cover has to support about 17 percent of World�s population (Over 1.
18 Billion).
Science based agriculture adapted for the past four decades in the country has brought appreciable change in the food production scenario.
Over the years a six fold increase in food grain production has transformed food scarcity into food sufficiently.
Competitive examinations including agriculture as a major subject in a routine procedure of recruitment and admissions for higher position and education.
A sincere effort has been made by the authors to present this book in a most easy, short and understandable language for the benefit of students who are preparing for competitive examinations in agriculture as well as in other subjects.
Agriculture Syllabus (Single Paper)IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE: Importance of Agriculture in Indian Economy and its sectoral relationship - Agricultural Development through five year plans in India and Tamil Nadu - Growth pattern of crops in India and Tamil Nadu in terms of area, production and productivity.
CROP PRODUCTION: Factors of Production - Agricultural seasons of India and Tamil Nadu - Cropping patterns in India and Tamil Nadu - Package of practices of different crops - Agro Climatic zones of India and Tamil Nadu and their features - Weather and Climate - Weather forecasting.
 a) Soil - Soil structure - Factors influencing soil structure - Physical and Chemical properties - Effect of nutrient availability and plant growth - Problem soils and their management - Soil survey - its objectives and scope - Soil fertility and productivity - Organic manures, Green manures, Bio fertilizers - Balanced usage - integrated nutrient management (INM) b) Physiological disorders in crop plants and their management - Dry farming - Rainfed agriculture - Conservation of soil and water - Watershed and Waste land development.
CROP IMPROVEMENT: Principles of breeding - Breeding methods - Modern tools in crop improvement - Hybrid production - Latest varieties of major crops in Tamil Nadu - Application of bio technology in Agriculture - Tissue culture and its significance - Transgenic Plants.
 a)Seeds - Importance of quality seeds in Agriculture - Nucleus, Breeder, Foundation, Certified and Labelled seeds - Seed certification techniques and processes in Tamil Nadu - Seed testing - Seed village concept.
CROP PROTECTION: Importance of pest, disease and weed management in agriculture - pest and disease surveillance and forecasting weather on pest and disease incidence - Symptoms of damages and control measures of pest and diseases of major crops in Tamil Nadu - Integrated pest and disease management in crop production - Pesticide and their use - Pattern - plant production equipments and their use - Plant quarantine.
 a) Storage pests and disease and their management.
Importance of biological control in insect management.
Weeds - Major weeds and their control.
CROP MANAGEMENT: Land use pattern and planning - Size and distribution of holdings - types and systems of farming - Water resources development and management - Irrigation management of different crops - Command area development - Ground water Development and Conjunctive use - Water use efficiency - Quality of irrigation water - Its effect in soil and crops - Management of poor quality water for crop growth.
 a) Cropping system and integrated farming - Recycling of agricultural waste - Mushroom cultivation, Bee keeping, Silkworm rearing etc.
, Energy in Agricultural production - Sources - solar, wind, animal, biomass and biogas - Mechanization in agriculture - Tractors and Tillers - Agricultural Implements and Machineries and their usage.
 b) Farm management - Principles of farm business management - Cost concepts - Management of resources - Farm Planning and budgeting - Investment analysis - Agricultural credit system in India - Multi credit delivery system - Role of nationalised banks and Regional Rural Banks - Lead Bank Scheme - Service Area Approach - Scale of finance.
 c) Marketing - Agricultural marketing and price policy of agricultural commodities - Market structure - Warehouses and Rural godowns - Post harvest technologies - Agri business management - Marketing Institutions.
 d)  Policies for agricultural development - Economic liberalisation - WTO and its impact on agricultural export.
Extension methods for transfer of technology - Agricultural Information technology - Role of women in Agriculture.

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