Botany Paper First (IAS 2015)

SECTION A

1 Briefly describe the following in not more than 150 words each :

(a)Role o f microbes in soil nutrient cycling

(b)Algae as bioindicators

(c)Concept of Progymnosperms

(d)Chemical nature o f viroids and their transmission in plants

(e)Evolution o f sexual, reproduction in fungi

2(a) Describe the range of vegetative structures with suitable diagrams in volvocales and their phylogenetic relationships?

2(b) Describe the disease symptoms, causal organism and the control measures o f the loose smut of wheat.

2(c) Draw well labelled diagram of the L.S. o f Anthoceros sporophyte. Discuss the evolutionary significance o f Anthoceros also.

3(a) Draw well labelled diagram of the T.S. o f Teleutosorus o f Puccinia and give a brief description of the same.

3(b) Describe the symptoms, causal organism and the control measures of white rust of crucifers.

3(c) Discuss the distribution of living Gymnosperms in India and their economic importance.

4(a) Give the name o f the causal organism, disease symptoms and disease control measures of the following :

Red rot o f sugarcane and Late blight o f potato.

4(b) Give an account o f sexual fruiting bodies in Ascomycetes.

4(c) Describe the method o f vegetative reproduction in Bryophytes.

SECTION B

5. Describe the following in about 150 words -each;

5.(a)Mycotoxins

5.(b)Concept of totipotency in higher plants

5.(c)Dye yielding plants

5.(d)Ethnobotanical knowledge and beliefs in species conservation

5.(e)Use of somaclonal variations in crop improvement

6.(a) Write an account of the following families with respect to floral structures. Give the botanical names o f three important plant species belonging to each o f the families and specify their' uses : Ranunculaceae and Fabaceae.

6.(b) Discuss the components o f a full-fledged Botanical garden.

6.(c) Give an account o f micropropagation and its utility towards ex-situ conservation o f rare and endangered plants.

7.(a) Describe the oil yielding plants o f India and their economic importance.

7.(b) Distinguish the Androecium of Malvaceae, Asteraceae and Asclepiadaceae from each other.

7.(c) “Somatic hybrids can be characterized by a variety of methods.” Substantiate the above statement.

7.(d) Compare the floral characters o f the family Solanaceae and Malvaceae.

8.(a) Give an account of Vavilov’s “Centres o f Origin” of the cultivated plants.

8.(b) Describe the method of production of Androgenic haploids.

8.(c) Describe the anomalous secondary growth in monocots with suitable diagram.