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Crop Physiology – Chapter List
As Per Latest ICAR Deen Committee | 1st Edition 2026
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Plant and Crop Physiology
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Chapter 2: Diffusion, Osmosis and Water Relations
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Chapter 3: Water Absorption and Transport in Plants
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Chapter 4: Transpiration and Stomatal Physiology
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Chapter 5: Mineral Nutrition and Nutrient Transport
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Chapter 6: Hydroponics, Sand Culture and Aeroponics
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Chapter 7: Plant Cell and Photosynthetic Apparatus
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Chapter 8: Light Reaction and Photophosphorylation
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Chapter 9: Photosynthetic Carbon Assimilation
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Chapter 10: Respiration in Plants
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Chapter 11: Plant Growth and Growth Analysis
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Chapter 12: Photoperiodism and Phytochrome
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Chapter 13: Vernalization
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Chapter 14: Senescence and Abscission
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Chapter 15: Plant Hormones and Plant Growth Regulators
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Syllabus
Theory Definitions of plant physiology and crop physiology; Importance of crop physiology; Relationship of crop physiology with other branches of crop science; Diffusion and osmosis; Physiological roles of water to crop plants; Definition of water potential and components of water potential; Water absorption by plants: Concept of active and passive absorption; Water loss by plants: Types of water loss: transpiration, stomatal physiology and guttation; Water use efficiency; Essential and beneficial elements; Passive and active transport of mineral element; Functions of essential elements; Criteria of essentiality of nutrients; Correction measures for nutrient deficiency symptoms; Foliar nutrition and root feeding – significance; Aeroponics Imbibition; Field capacity, permanent wilting point and available soil moisture; Apoplast, symplast and transmembrane, Ascent of sap – theories and mechanism; Soil-plant-atmospheric continuum. Significance of transpiration. Stomatal opening and closing mechanisms. Definition of Cavitation and embolism. Antitranspirants - types and examples. Hydroponics and sand culture. Overview of plant cell - organelle and their functions. Brief outline of: Photosynthetic apparatus, pigment system, quantum requirement and quantum yield; Structure of chloroplast, Examples of different photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll, carotenoids, phycobilins etc.), Difference between chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, Structure of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, Short discussion on quantum requirement and quantum yield, Red drop and Emerson enhancement effect, Pigment system I and II. Introduction to light reaction of photosynthesis, Light absorption by photosynthetic pigments and transfer of energy. Source of O2 during photosynthesis: Hill reaction; Brief introduction to cyclic and non-cyclic photo-phosphorylation: production of assimilatory powers; Introduction to C3 , C4 and CAM pathways: Calvin Cycle, Hatch and Slack Cycle, CAM Cycle; Significance of these pathways (concept of photorespiration, absence of photorespiration in C4 plant: Productivity of C4 plant, CAM: an adaptive mechanism); Factors affecting photosynthesis (light, temperature, CO2 , O2 etc.). Outline of the process of respiration: Definition and importance, Glycolysis, Kreb Cycle and ETC, Factors affecting respiration (O2 , temperature, CO2 etc.). Terminologies / Definitions: Growth, Development and Differentiation. Measurement of plant growth (fresh weight, dry weight, linear dimension, area etc.). Introduction to CGR, RGR, NAR etc. Photoperiodism: Photoperiodic Classification of plants: Short Day Plant, Long Day Plant, Day Neutral plant etc. Introduction to Photoperiodic induction site of photo-inductive perception, Role of Phytochrome Introduction to Vernalization (What is vernalization, devernalization etc.), Meaning, classification (seasonal, sequential etc), relation with abscission. Physiological and biochemical changes during senescence, Abscission and its significance, Concept of stay green, Hormonal regulation of senescence. Terminologies / Definitions: Plant hormone, Plant growth regulators (PGR), Plant growth inhibitor. Recognized classes of PGR (Auxins, Gibberellins, Cytokinins, Ethylene and Abscisic acid) and their major physiological roles, Agricultural uses of PGRs (IBA, NAA, 2, 4 –D, GAs, Kinetin etc)..
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Crop Physiology
1. What is Crop Physiology?
Crop physiology is the study of physiological processes occurring in crop plants and their relationship with growth, development, productivity and adaptation to environmental conditions.
2. What is the importance of Crop Physiology?
Crop physiology helps in understanding photosynthesis, respiration, water relations, mineral nutrition, growth, flowering, senescence and other processes that determine crop growth and yield.
3. What is water potential?
Water potential is the measure of the tendency of water to move from one region to another. It is represented by the symbol Ψw and is mainly determined by solute and pressure components.
4. What is the difference between diffusion and osmosis?
Diffusion is the movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to lower concentration, whereas osmosis is the movement of water through a selectively permeable membrane from higher water potential to lower water potential.
5. What is transpiration?
Transpiration is the loss of water in the form of water vapour from the aerial parts of plants, mainly through stomata. It plays important roles in cooling and water movement through plants.
6. What is water use efficiency?
Water use efficiency is the amount of plant biomass or economic yield produced per unit amount of water used by the crop. Higher water use efficiency indicates more effective utilization of available water.
7. What are essential elements in plant nutrition?
Essential elements are mineral elements required by plants for normal growth and completion of their life cycle. Examples include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, boron, molybdenum, chlorine and nickel.
8. What is hydroponics?
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil by supplying essential mineral nutrients through a nutrient solution.
9. What is the difference between hydroponics, sand culture and aeroponics?
In hydroponics, plants are grown using a nutrient solution; in sand culture, sand acts as the growing medium and nutrients are supplied through solution; in aeroponics, plant roots remain suspended in air and receive nutrients through a fine nutrient mist.
10. What are the major photosynthetic pigments?
The major photosynthetic pigments include chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoids. Some photosynthetic organisms also contain accessory pigments such as phycobilins.
11. What is the difference between Photosystem I and Photosystem II?
Photosystem I has a reaction centre called P700, while Photosystem II has a reaction centre called P680. PSII is associated with water splitting and oxygen evolution, whereas PSI plays an important role in the formation of NADPH and also participates in cyclic electron flow.
12. What is photophosphorylation?
Photophosphorylation is the light-driven synthesis of ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate during the light reactions of photosynthesis.
13. What is the difference between cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation?
Cyclic photophosphorylation mainly involves Photosystem I and produces ATP without directly producing NADPH or oxygen. Non-cyclic photophosphorylation involves both Photosystem I and Photosystem II and produces ATP, NADPH and oxygen.
14. What are C3, C4 and CAM pathways?
C3, C4 and CAM are different pathways of carbon assimilation in plants. C3 plants initially form a three-carbon compound, C4 plants initially fix CO2 into a four-carbon compound, while CAM plants separate initial CO2 fixation and carbon assimilation mainly between night and day.
15. What is respiration in plants?
Respiration is the metabolic process through which stored organic compounds are oxidized to release energy. Major stages of aerobic respiration include glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain.
16. What are CGR, RGR and NAR?
CGR (Crop Growth Rate) represents the increase in plant dry matter per unit ground area per unit time. RGR (Relative Growth Rate) represents the increase in plant dry weight relative to the existing plant dry weight. NAR (Net Assimilation Rate) represents the increase in dry matter in relation to leaf area over time.
17. What is photoperiodism?
Photoperiodism is the physiological response of plants to the relative duration of light and darkness, particularly in relation to flowering. Plants may be classified as short-day, long-day or day-neutral plants.
18. What is vernalization?
Vernalization is the induction or acceleration of flowering by exposing a suitable plant or tissue to an appropriate period of low temperature.
19. What are senescence and abscission?
Senescence is the genetically regulated deterioration and aging of plant cells, tissues or organs. Abscission is the controlled separation and shedding of plant organs such as leaves, flowers or fruits.
20. What are Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs)?
Plant Growth Regulators are natural or synthetic substances that influence plant growth and development. Major classes include auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, ethylene and abscisic acid (ABA). Important agricultural PGRs include IBA, NAA, 2,4-D, GA3 and kinetin.
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Last Updated: August 2026
