VOCATIONAL HIGHER SECONDARY (AGRICULTURE) First year- Syllabus Unit 1-Introductory agriculture y Agriculture - Branches - Plant Science - Animal

Science y Plant Sciences - Agronomy - Horticulture - Forestry y Animal Science - Animal Husbandry - Poultry Fisheries y Area, Production and Productivity of important crops of Kerala - Paddy, Coconut, Banana, Pepper, Rubber, Tapioca and local crops (non evaluative) y Important agriculturalinstitutions: - Under Department of Agriculture - Under K.A.U Under I.C.A.R Under Commodity Boards y Importance of Agriculture in Indian Economy y Agricultural classification of crops Unit 2- Weather and climate y Weather - Climate - Weather elements related to Agriculture - Temperature - Wind Rainfall-Sunlight y Identify Meteorological equipmets, Thermometer: Maximum - Minimum - Wet bulb Dry bulb and - Soil Thermometers - Wind - Direction - Wind vane - Velocity - Cup Anemometer - Rain fall - Rain gauge: Sun shine - Sun shine recorder - Evaporation: US Open pan evaporimeter - Radio sonde - Radar - Satellite Pictures y Monsoons of Kerala y Seasons of Paddy/Agricultural seasons in Kerala Unit 3- Soil science y Soil profile, Components of soil - Soil properties - Structure - Texture - pH - Colour, Water holding capacity - Saturation - Field capacity - Permanent wilting point y Soil types of Kerala: Laterite - Forest loam - Brown Hydromorphic Hydromorphic saline - Black soil - Riverine alluvium - Onattukara Alluvium - Kuttanadu Alluvium Red Soil - Costal Alluvium y Soil erosion - Types of soil erosion - Geological erosion - Accelerated erosion - Water splash, sheet, Rill, Gully erosion - Wind - Saltation, suspension, surface creep. y Soil and water conservation method - Agronomic - mulching, contour farming, strip cropping Alley cropping, multitier cropping. Engineering methods - sub soiling, soakpits, contour bunding, bench terracing, check dams, gabions. Water shed - Rain water harvesting Unit 4- Plant nutrition y Elements of plant nutrition y Important macro (C, H,O,N,P,K, Ca, Mg, S) and micro nutrients (Cl, Fe, B, Mn, Zn, Cu, Mo) y Function, deficiency, toxicity y Type of Fertilizers - Straight, complex, mixed - Fertilizer calculation - Application method- Broad cast, placement, foliar, fertigation.

y y

y y

Procedure for soil sampling - Interpretation of soil testing results. N,P,K, pH Modification of Fertilizer Recommendation. Advantages of adding organic matter, Types of organic manures - bulky & concentrated, Composting methods - anerobic - Vermicompost, Green manuring - Methods of green manuring, - green manuring insitu - green leaf manuring - Biofertilizer - accetobactor, azospirrillum, rhizobium, Azolla, BGA, Concept of Integrated nutrient management (INM), Organic farming, sustainable agriculture. Organic certification.

Unit 5- Seed technology y Concept of seed, Qualities of good seed - Germination test (Rag doll and paper method) Optimum moisture percentage of vegetable and paddy seeds under storage Teacher asks the students to collect different type of seeds well in advance. y Different classes of seed: Breeder - Foundation - Registered - Certified, Social & economic impact of seed act. y Sowing Methods: Broad casting - Dibbling Transplanting Unit 6- Tillage, weed science and irrigation y Definition of Tillage - Objectives of Tillage - History of Tillage - Types of Tillage Primary, Secondary, Minimum & zero tillage - Different types of tillage implements y Weeds Definition, Uses of weeds and harmful effects Allelopathy y Familiarisation of common garden land & wet land weeds of Kerala. y Methods of weed management: Cultural Method - Mechanical Method - Biological Method - Chemical Method Examples of herbicides commonly used. y Irrigation - definition - Sources of water - Different methods of irrigation - flood, basin, ring, furrow, subsurface methods, specialized methods -pitcher, drip &sprinkler irrigation. - Drainage - definition and advantages. y Water Requirement of crops- Critical stage of water requirement of Rice. Unit 7- Crop husbandry y Cultivation practices of annual crops like Rice, Vegetables, Banana, Tapioca and perennial crops like coconut, Pepper and Banana - season, varieties, Nursery preparation, land preparation, seeds and sowing manures and fertilizers, inter culture operations, plant protection and harvesting. Unit 8- Horticulture y Definition of horticulture, branches of horticulture like pomology, olericulture, floriculture, spices and condiments and plantation crops with examples and their definitions. y Sexual propagation, asexual propagation, advantages and disadvantages of sexual and asexual propagation, various methods of asexual propagation like cutting, layering, grafting, budding and micropropagation y Types of cuttings are stem, leaf and root and stem cuttings are hardwood, semihard wood and softwood cutting

y y y

Two types of layering: Simple layering and Air layering. Graftage - Grafting methods : Approach grafting, Epicotyle grafting, Softwood grafting Budding methods : Patch budding, T budding Common ornamental plants: Trees, shrubs, climbers, hedge Fruits, vegetables, species, plantation crops.

Unit 9- Plant Protection y Definition of pests. y Types of insects: Bugs, Moths, Beetles, Flies y Noninsect pests: Nematodes, Mites, Rodents, Slugs and Snails, Birds y Definition of disease y Common symptoms of plant diseases and disease causing organisms. y Methods of plant protection: Physical, chemical, mechanical, cultural, biological, legal Management y Content of IPM and IDM y Common plant protection chemicals: Insecticides, Fungicides, Acaricides, Nematicides, Rodenticides, Antibiotices: With examples y Formulation of plant protection chemicals: Wettable powder, Emulsifiable concentrate, Granules, Dust, Aquaflow, Soluble liquid, Suspension Concentrate y AMF, Trichoderma, Pseudomonas, Multiplication of biocontrol agents: Trichoderma Unit 10- Farming System y Monocroping, Intercropping, Crop Rotation, Multiple cropping, Multitier/Multistoried cropping, Home stead farming, Mixed farming, integrated farming system. Unit 11- Post Harvest Technology y Post harvest technology of coconut. y Post harvest technology of paddy. y Post harvest treatments fruits and vegetables before storage.  Temporary and permanent preservation.  Preparation of Jam, Jelly and squash. Unit 12- Live Stock and Poultry y Role of cattle in Kerala agriculture. y Role of poultry in Kerala agriculture y Common breeds of cattle (Mention only) y Indigenous and exotic breeds - milk, drought, dual purpose breeds with examples. y Common breeds of poultry (Mention only)- American class, English class, Asiatic class, Mediterranean class with examples. y Common feeds of cattle y Classification of feeds as - Indigenous feeds, concentrates, roughages, manual supplements and additives. y Ration for young and adult cattle  Up to 6 months age.  Above 6 months age.

y y y y y

Backyard rearing. Indigenous feeds of poultry. Feeding and watering of poultry. Common diseases of cattle (list only) -bacterial, viral, parasites, nutritional deficiency. Common disease of poultry (list only) - bacterial, viral, parasite diseases.

Unit 13- Extension Education and Rural Development y Extension Education - scope, importance - teaching methods - objectives - principles Transfer technology - importance in agricultural development - Panchyat Raj System Watershed development - assessment of village resoruces - PRA as a tool for assessment of village resoruces -Project plan preparation. Unit 14- Commercial Enterprises y Commercial enterprises in agriculture - scope - role in eradicating unemployment. y Apiculture - types of bees - hiving, management including pests and diseases (mention only) - extraction of honey (mention only) y Moriculture - Silkworm rearing. y Terrace farming - media - containers - suitable crops - cultural practices. y Student gets aware of important medicinal plants and their parts used through observation, project work and assignment. y Nursery - types - tools - containers - media - mother plants - propagation (Mention only) ******************