Life Science Syllabus Paper 2 - 1 To 10

1. Principles of Taxonomy as applied to the systamics and Classification of Plant Kingdom: Taxonomic structure; Biosystematics; Plant geography; Floristics.

2. Patterns of variation in morphology and life history in plants; Broad outlines of classification AND evolutionary trends among algae, fungi,bryophytes and pteridophytes; Principles of palaeobotany; Economic importance of algae, fungi and lichens.

3. Comparative anatomy and developmental morphology of gymnosperms and angiosperms; Histochemical and ultrastructural aspects of development; Differentiation and morphogenesis.

4. Androgensis and gynogenesis; Breeding system; Pollination biology; structural and functional aspects of pollen and pistil; Male sterility; Self and inter-specific incompatibility; Fertilization; Embryo and seed development.

5. Plants and civilization; Centres of origin and gene diversity; Botany, utilization, cultivation and improvement of plants of food, drug, fibre and industrial values, Unexploited plants of potential economic value; Plants as a source of renewable energy; Genetic resources and their conservation.

6. Water Relation; Mineral nutrition; Photosynthesis and photorespiration; Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Sulphur metabolism; Stomatal physiology; Source and sink relationship.

7. Physiology and biochemistry and seed dormancy and germination; Hormonal regulation of growth and development; Photoregulation: Growth responses, Physiology of flowering: Senescence.

8. Principles of plant breeding; Important conventional methods of breeding self and cross-pollinated and vegetatively propagated crops; Non conventional methods; Polyploidy: Genetic variability; Plant diseases and defensive mechanisms.

9. Principles of taxonomy as applied to the systematics and classification of the animal kingdom; Classification and interrelationship amongst the major invertebrate phyla; Minor invertebrate phyla, Functional anatomy of the nonchordates; Larval forms and their evolutionary significance.

10. Classification and comparative anatomy of protochordates and chordates; Origin, evolution and distribution of chordates groups: Adaptive radiation.