UPSC Mains BOTANY-PAPER-I 2022

What is mycoplasma? Describe its types and importance in plant pathogenesis.

Describe the ultrastructure of endospore of Bacillus sp.

Describe the structure of strobilus of Equisetum with the help of a well-labelled diagram.

What is chloroplast? Describe the fine structure of chloroplast in Chlorophyceae.

Write a comparative account of the icosahedral and helical symmetry of viruses.

What is brown spot disease of rice? Describe its causal organism, symptoms, disease cycle and its control. How does this disease damage the rural agroeconomy of India?

Draw and describe the cell wall structure of Gram-positive bacteria. What are the major differences between the cell walls of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria?

Describe the ‘Koch's postulate'. How does it help in avoiding the wrong identification of any plant pathogen?

What is dikaryotization in fungi? Describe different methods of dikaryotization in basidiomycetes. How does dikaryotization in ascomycetes differ from basidiomycetes?

Give an elaborate account of the use of algae in food and fuel production.

Describe the development of male and female gametophytes of Marsilea.

What are the characteristic features of the family Orchidaceae? How did the classification systems of Bentham and Hooker (1862), Engler and Prantl (1931) and Hutchinson (1959) deal with its placement among the families of monocots?

Give a detailed account of the theories proposed to explain the origin of angiosperms.

Give a detailed account of types of stomata in angiosperms.

Mention the role of embryo rescue in interspecific hybridization.

Explain 'cybridization'. Write one example of economically useful cybrid. Describe the methods to produce cybrids.

Write an account of plants used as natural dyes. Give binomial name and family of any three dye-yielding plants that are used as food additives.

Distinguish between anther culture and microspore culture. Which technique is more advantageous? Give reasons.

Write a note on the role of palynology in plant systematics.

Write a detailed account of homospory, anisospory, incipient heterospory and heterospory. Elaborate on the evolution from homospory to heterospory in relation to geological time.

Endosperm is essentially a triploid tissue in angiosperms with some exceptions. Give a detailed account of Helobial endosperm emphasizing on the developmental variations. What type of differences can be seen in the sequence of occurrences of karyokinesis and cytokinesis in nuclear, cellular and Helobial type of endosperm?

Using appropriate diagram of normal embryo sac, elaborate the structural complexity of angiosperm embryo.

Write the uses, botanical name, family and morphology of useful parts of the following plants: Cloves

Write the uses, botanical name, family and morphology of useful parts of the following plants: Saffron

Write the uses, botanical name, family and morphology of useful parts of the following plants: Nutmeg

Write the uses, botanical name, family and morphology of useful parts of the following plants: Date palm

Write the uses, botanical name, family and morphology of useful parts of the following plants: Pineapple

Discuss the role of botanical gardens in conserving biodiversity. Write the names of three important botanical gardens in India.

Write a detailed note on the role of ethnobotany in conserving the Indian traditional knowledge of medicinal plants.

Describe the protocol involved in rooting and acclimatization of plants produced using in vitro culture. Elaborate on the various problems and solutions associated with this technique.

Differentiate between direct and indirect organogenesis. Discuss the merits and demerits of each method.

What are 'energy plantations'? Narrate the salient features of this energy alternative for the energy security of India.