If you are a UPSC aspirant and want to take the subject Botany Optional then you are on the right page because today we have brought you all Evolution IAS Botany Optional Notes pdf for UPSC Download which is really helpful for you you all can download and save Botany Optional Notes pdf free from the below.
Choice of Botany: Choose only if you have a background of graduation in life sciences. Otherwise, it is difficult to understand basic concepts. Overlap with the GS syllabus is limited (mostly gs3).
Advantage of Botany: A person with a science background will feel at home and can avoid the alienation felt by preparing for other humanities optional. Scores have generally been consistent.
How to Start
- Study the syllabus thoroughly!
- Analyze previous years question papers (I went as far back as 20 yrs, papers are available net) this will help too, Access the scope of the syllabus (otherwise it is very open-ended) Trends of the questions Prepare a Question bank for each topic
- Look for overlap with your graduation syllabus and pull out those notes.
- I would advise that one reference book is enough for any one topic (advantage of science optional, no two ways to look at one fact :D)
- There is a Facebook group called Botany for IAS, it is a small group where you can voice your queries and find references.
Microbiology and Plant Pathology :
Structure and reproduction/multiplication of viruses, viroids, bacteria, fungi and mycoplasma; Applications of microbiology in agriculture, industry, medicine and in control of soil and water pollution; Prion and Prion hypothesis.
Important crop diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, mycoplasma, fungi and nematodes; Modes of infection and dissemination; Molecular basis of infection and disease resistance/defence; Physiology of parasitism and control measures. Fungal toxins. Modelling and disease forecasting; Plant quarantine.
Books: Any Graduation level Microbiology Text, specific topics like prions need to be researched, Crop Diseases (a list of about 20 diseases can be found in any botany text eg Hait prepare diseases in format as per previous questions, if needed Selective reading of Agrios), Plant quarantine: Prepare India’s mechanisms (asked in interview)
Cryptogams :
Algae, fungi, lichens, bryophytes, pteridophytes structure and reproduction from evolutionary viewpoint; Distribution of Cryptogams in India and their ecological and economic importance.
Books: Textbook of Botany-Singh, Pandey, Jain/ by Bhattacharya, Hait, and Ghosh