ICAR JRF Agronomy Exam Pattern and Syllabus 2025

Sub Subjects:

• Agronomy/Forage Production
• Tea Husbandry

Importance of Agriculture in the national economy; basic principles of crop production; cultivation of rice, wheat, chickpea, pigeon-pea, sugarcane, groundnut, rapeseed, mustard, potato. Major soils of India, the role of NPK and their deficiency symptoms. Structure and function of cell organelles; mitosis and meiosis; Mendelian genetics: elementary knowledge of photosynthesis; respiration, photorespiration, and transpiration; structure and functions of carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, enzymes, and vitamins. Major pests and diseases of rice, wheat, cotton, chickpea, sugarcane, and their management. Important rural development programs in India; organizational set up of agricultural research, education, and extension in India; Elements of statistics.

UNIT-II: Principles of Agronomy, Crop Ecology and Geography, and Agricultural Meteorology:

Agronomy – meaning and scope, National & International agricultural research institutes in India, Agro-climatic zones of India, Tillage, crop stand establishment, and planting geometry and their effect on the crop, Physiological limits of crop yield and variability about ecological optima, organic farming, Precision farming, Integrated farming systems, Principles of field experimentation. Principles of crop ecology and crop adaptation, climate shift, and its ecological implications, Agro-ecological regions in India, Geographical distribution of crop plants, Greenhouse effect, Climatic factors and their effect on plant processes and crop productivity, Role of GIS and GPS in agriculture. Weather & Climate, Earth’s atmosphere, Solar radiation, Atmospheric temperature, and global warming. Crops and atmospheric humidity, Weather forecasting.

UNIT-III: Field crops:

Origin, distribution, economic importance, soil, and climatic requirement, varieties, cultural practices, and yield of cereals ( rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, pearl millet, minor millets, barley), pulses(chickpea, lentil, peas, Pigeon pea, mungbean, urban), oilseeds (groundnut, sesame, soybean, rapeseed & mustard, sunflower, safflower, linseed), fiber crops (cotton, jute, sun hemp), sugar crops (sugarcane), fodder & forage crops (sorghum, maize, Napier, berseem, Lucerne, oats), medicinal &aromatic plants (Menthe, lemongrass, and isabgol) and commercial crops(potato, tobacco).

UNIT-IV: Weed management:

Principles of weed management, Classification, biology and ecology of weeds, crop weed competition, and allelopathy, concepts and methods of weed control, Integrated weed management, Classification, formulations, selectivity and resistance of herbicides, Herbicide persistence in soil and plants, Application methods and equipment, Weed flora shifts in cropping systems, Special and problematic weeds, and their management in cropped and non-cropped situations, Weed management in field crops.

UNIT-V: Water management: 

Principles of irrigation, water resources and irrigation development in India, Water and irrigation requirements, Concepts and approaches of irrigation scheduling, Methods of irrigation, Measurement of irrigation water, application, distribution, and use efficiencies, Conjunctive use of water, Irrigation water quality and its management, water management in the significant field, crops (rice, wheat, maize, groundnut, sugarcane) Agricultural drainage.

UNIT-VI: Soil fertility and fertilizer use:

Essential plant nutrients and their deficiency symptoms, the concept of essential plant nutrients, Indicators of soil fertility and productivity, Fertilizer materials and their availability to plants, slow-release fertilizers, Nitrification inhibitors, Principles and methods of fertilizer application, Integrated nutrient management, site-specific nutrient management.

UNIT-VII: Dryland Agronomy:

Characteristics of Dryland farming and delineation of Dryland tracts, constraints of Dryland farming in India, Types of drought and their management, contingency crop planning and midseason corrections for aberrant weather and its recycling. Watershed management.

UNIT-VIII: Problem soils:

Problem soils and their distribution in India, Characteristics, and reclamation of these soils, and Crop production techniques in problem soils.

UNIT-IX: Sustainable land-use systems:

Sustainable agriculture: parameters and indicators, Conservation agriculture, safe disposal of agri-industrial waste for crop production, Agroforestry systems, shifting cultivation, Alternate land-use systems, Wastelands and their remediation for crop production.

UNIT-X: Water management:

Principles of irrigation, water resources and irrigation development in India, Water and irrigation requirements, Concepts and approaches of irrigation scheduling, Methods of irrigation, Measurement of irrigation water, application, distribution, and use efficiencies, Conjunctive use of water, Irrigation water quality and its management, water management in the significant field, crops (rice, wheat, maize, groundnut, sugarcane) Agricultural drainage.

UNIT-VI: Soil fertility and fertilizer use:

Preparation Strategies for ICAR JRF Agronomy 2025:

• Create a Study Plan: Develop a well-organized study plan that allocates sufficient time to cover each section of the syllabus thoroughly.
• Study Materials: Read standard textbooks, reference materials, and notes to enhance your understanding of agronomy concepts.
• Solve Previous Years' Papers: Solving previous years' question papers provides insight into the exam pattern and helps in time management.
• Practice Mock Tests: Regularly take mock tests to assess your preparation level and identify areas that need improvement.
• Stay Updated: Keep yourself informed about the latest developments in agronomy and related fields, as questions may also be based on current trends.

Conclusion: