ASRB NET Fruit Science Syllabus 2025, Topic-Wise Detailed Syllabus

The ASRB NET (Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board National Eligibility Test) in Fruit Science is an annual national exam organized by the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board. The Fruit Science field is among the various subjects available in the exam, and candidates need to possess knowledge of the syllabus to successfully qualify for the exam. The given article provides in detail the unit-wise ASRB NET Fruit Science Syllabus 2025 along with the exam pattern.

ASRB NET Fruit Science Exam Pattern 2025

The ASRB NET Fruit Science Exam 2025 will be conducted in an online Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. The exam will consist of a single paper with 150 objective multiple-choice questions, each carrying one mark, making the total maximum marks 150. Candidates will be given 2 hours to complete the test. There will be one-third (1/3rd) negative marking for every wrong answer. The minimum qualifying marks for the unreserved category are 50%, for OBC is 45%, and for SC/ST/PwBD candidates is 40%. The questions will be based on the specialized subject of Fruit Science, designed to test the fundamental understanding and applied knowledge of candidates.

ASRB NET Fruit Science Syllabus 2025

The ASRB NET Fruit Science Syllabus 2025 covers a wide range of topics related to the cultivation, management, and improvement of fruit crops. Candidates are expected to have a thorough knowledge of each of the topics specified in the syllabus. Check out the given section for the detailed ASRB NET Syllabus For Fruit Science.

Unit 1: Tropical Fruit Production

Commercial varieties of regional, national and international importance, eco-physiological requirements, recent trends in propagation, rootstock influence, planting systems, cropping systems, root zone and canopy management, nutrient management, water management, fertigation, role of bioregulators, abiotic factors limiting fruit production, physiology of flowering, pollination fruit set and development, honeybees in cross pollination, physiological disorders- causes and remedies, quality improvement by management practices; maturity indices, harvesting, grading, packing, storage and ripening techniques; industrial and export potential, Agri. Export Zones(AEZ) and industrial supports. Crops: Mango and Banana, Citrus and Papaya, Guava, Sapota and Jackfruit, Pineapple, Annonas and Avocado, Aonla, Pomegranate and Ber.

Unit 2: Subtropical and Temperate Fruit Production

Commercial varieties of regional, national and international importance, eco-physiological requirements, recent trends in propagation, rootstocks, stionic influences, planting systems, cropping systems, root zone and canopy management, nutrient management, water management, fertigation, bioregulation, abiotic factors limiting fruit production, physiology of flowering, pollinizers, pollinators, fruit set and development, abiotic factors limiting production, physiological disorders- causes and remedies, quality improvement by management practices; maturity indices, harvesting, grading, packing, precooling, storage, transportation and ripening techniques; processing and value addition, industrial and export potential, Agri Export Zones (AEZs) and industrial support, Canopy management through plant growth inhibitors, training and pruning and management practices in relation to growth, flowering, fruiting and fruit quality, insect and disease management, pre harvest and post-harvest factors affecting shelf life. Crops: apple, pear, quince, grapes, plums, peach, apricot, cherries, litchi, loquat, persimmon, kiwifruit. strawberry, nuts (walnut, almond, pecan).

Unit 3: Breeding of Fruit Crops

Origin and distribution, taxonomical status – species and cultivars, cytogenetics, genetic resources, blossom biology, breeding systems – spontaneous mutations, polyploidy, incompatibility, sterility, parthenocarpy, apomixis, breeding objectives, ideotypes, approaches for crop improvement — introduction, selection, hybridization, mutation breeding, polyploid breeding, rootstock breeding, improvement of quality traits, breeding for biotic and abiotic stresses, biotechnological interventions and achievements. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Plant Breeders Rights (PBR): Introduction and initiatives in fruit crops. Crops: mango, banana, pineapple, citrus, grapes, guava, sapota, jackfruit, papaya, custard apple, aonla, avocado, ber, mangosteen, litchi, jamun, phalsa, mulberry, raspberry, kokam, apple, pear, plums, peach, apricot, cherries, strawberry and nuts, pomegranate and kiwi fruit.

Unit 4: Growth and Development of Fruit Crops

Growth and development- definition, parameters of growth and development, growth dynamics, morphogenesis; annual, semi-perennial and perennial horticultural crops, environmental impact on growth and development, effect of light, photosynthesis and photoperiodism, vernalisation, effect of temperature, heat units, thermoperiodism; Assimilate partitioning during growth and development, influence of water and mineral nutrition during growth and development, biosynthesis of auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, abscisic acid, ethylene, brasssinosteroids, morphactins, role of plant growth promoters and inhibitors; Developmental physiology and biochemistry during dormancy, bud break, juvenility, vegetative to reproductive interphase, flowering, pollination, fertilization, fruit set, fruit drop, fruit growth, ripening and seed development; Growth and developmental process during stress – manipulation of growth and development, impact of pruning and training, chemical manipulations in horticultural crops, molecular and genetic approaches in plant growth development, global warming, effect of climate change on spatio-temporal patterns of temperature and rainfall, concentrations of greenhouse gasses in atmosphere. Climate mitigation measures through crop management- use of tolerant rootstocks and varieties,
mulching, use of plastic, windbreak, spectral changes, protection from frost and heat waves. Climate management in greenhouse: heating vents, CO2 injection, screens and artificial light.Impact of climate changes on invasive insects, diseases, weeds, fruit yield, quality and sustainability.

Unit 5: Biotechnology of Fruit Crops

Harnessing biotechnology in horticultural crops; introduction and significance, history and basic principles, influence of plant materials, physical, chemical factors and growth regulators on growth and development of plant cell, tissue and organ culture; callus culture – types, cell division, differentiation, morphogenesis, organogenesis, embryogenesis; use of bioreactors and in-vitro methods – for production of secondary metabolites, suspension culture, nutrition of tissues and cells, regeneration of tissues, acclimatization of tissue culture plants; Physiology of hardening – hardening and field transfer, organ culture – meristem, embryo, anther, ovule culture, embryo rescue, somaclonal variation, protoplast culture and fusion; Somatic cell hybridization-construction and identification of somatic hybrids and cybrids, wide hybridization, invitro pollination and fertilization, haploids, in- vitro mutation, artificial seeds, cryopreservation, rapid clonal propagation, genetic engineering- principles and methods, and transformation in horticulture crops, use of molecular markers and genomics. Gene silencing, gene tagging, gene editing in fruit crops. In-vitro selection for biotic and abiotic stress, achievements of biotechnology in horticultural crops.

Unit 6: Propagation and Nursery Management in Fruit Crops

General concepts and phenomena: Introduction, understanding cellular basis for propagation, sexual and asexual propagation, apomixis, polyembryony, chimeras. Factors influencing seed germination of fruit crops, dormancy, hormonal regulation of seed germination and seedling growth. Seed quality, treatment, packing, storage, certification and testing. Conventional asexual propagation: Cutting– methods, rooting of soft, semi hard and hardwood cuttings under mist and hotbeds. Use of PGR in propagation, physiological, anatomical and biochemical aspects of root induction in cuttings. Layering – principle and methods. Budding and grafting – principles and methods, graft union formation, establishment and management of scion/bud wood bank. Stock, scion and inter stock relationship– graft incompatibility, physiology of rootstock and top working. Micro-propagation – principles and concepts, commercial exploitation in horticultural crops. Techniques – in-vitro clonal propagation, direct organogenesis, embryogenesis, micro-grafting, meristem culture, genetic fidelity testing. Hardening, packaging and transport of micro-propagules. Management Practices and Regulation, Nursery – types, structures, components, planning and layout. Nursery management practices for healthy propagule production. Nursery Act, nursery accreditation, import and export of seeds and planting material, quarantine, role of Post-Entry Quarantine (PEQ), and Clean Plant Programme (CPP).

Unit 7: Systematics of Fruit Crops

Nomenclature and classification: Biosystematics – introduction and significance; history of nomenclature of cultivated plants, classification and nomenclature systems; International code of nomenclature for cultivated plants. Identification and description: methods of identification and description of cultivated fruit and nut species and their wild relative; development of plant keys for systematic identification and classification. Development of fruit crop descriptors- based upon Biodiversity International Descriptors and UPOV/ DUS test guidelines, botanical and pomological description of major cultivars and rootstocks of tropical, subtropical and temperate fruits and nut crops. Registration and modern systematics: GI and Farmers variety Registration, Use of chemotaxonomy, biochemical and molecular markers in modern systematics.

Unit 8: Export Oriented Fruit Production

Statistics and World Trade: National and international fruit export and import scenario and trends; statistics and India’s position and potentiality in world trade; export promotion zones in India. Government policies, norms and standards: Scope, produce specifications, quality and safety standards for export of fruits, viz., mango, banana, grape, litchi, pomegranate, walnut, apple and other important fruits. Processed and value-added products, post-harvest management for export including packaging and cool chain; HACCP, Codex alimentarius, ISO certification; FPO license, role of APEDA, FSSAI, BIS, WTO and its implications, sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures, MRLs. Infrastructure and plant material; quality fruit production under protected environment; different types of structures – automated greenhouses, glasshouse, shade net, poly tunnels – design and
development of low-cost greenhouse structures. Seed and planting material; meeting export standards, implications of plant variety protection – patent regimes.

Unit 9: Minor Fruit Production

Occurrence, Adoption and General Account: Importance – occurrence and distribution, climate adaptation in fragile ecosystem and wastelands. Propagation and cultural practices: traditional cultural practices and recent development in agro-techniques; propagation, botany-floral biology, growth patterns, mode of pollination, fruit set, ripening, fruit quality. Post-harvest management, marketing; minor fruit crops in terms of nutritional and pharmaceutical values; their uses for edible purpose and in processing industry Crops: Bael, chironji, fig, passion fruit, jamun, phalsa, karonda, wood apple, cactus pear, khejri, kair, pilu, lasoda, loquat, tamarind, dragon fruit, monkey jack, mahua, khirni, amra, kokum, cape gooseberry, kaphal, persimmon, pistachio, sea buckthorn, hazel nut and other minor fruits of regional importance.

Unit 10. Post-Harvest Management of Fruit Crops

Post-harvest management scenario of India and world, fruit maturity indices, harvesting practices in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate fruits, influence of pre-harvest practices, Climacteric and non-climacteric fruits, enzymatic and textural changes, respiration, transpiration during fruit ripening, ethylene evolution and ethylene management, factors leading to post-harvest losses, pre-cooling; Treatments prior to shipment, viz., pre-cooling, chlorination, waxing, chemicals, biocontrol agents and natural plant products. Methods of storage-ventilated, refrigerated, MAS, CA storage, physical injuries and post-harvest and storage disorders; fruit ripening chambers, Packing methods and transport, principles and methods of preservation, Principles of food processing, canning, fruit juices, beverages, pickles, jam, jellies, candies; Dried and dehydrated products, nutritionally enriched products, fermented fruit beverages, packaging technology of value-added products, processing waste management, food safety standards.

How to Avoid the Silly Mistakes in ASRB NET Fruit Science Exam?

The following measures must be followed while appearing for the ASRB NET Exam 2025 so that no silly mistakes are made:

• Examine each question thoroughly, at least twice, to completely grasp what is being requested before trying to provide an answer. Misinterpreting questions is a significant source of mistakes.
• Work on previous year papers and sample tests to familiarize with the exam pattern and enhance the speed and precision. This also helps aspirants in recognizing and fixing their frequent errors.
• Use the time effectively while taking the exam. Begin with the questions that are sure of and return to the more challenging ones afterward, to prevent becoming stuck and making hasty mistakes.
• Verify the calculations and responses, particularly for questions that are numerical or fact-based. Even small calculation errors can lead to losing points.
• Remain composed and attentive during the test. Employ relaxation methods such as deep breathing when experiencing anxiety, since stress can result in mistakes and lapses in attention.
• Dedicate the final 10-15 minutes of the exam to check the responses and confirm that any unintentional errors or any questions are not overlooked.