GATE Syllabus for Agricultural Engineering
ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS
Linear Algebra: Matrices and
Determinants, Systems of linear equations, Eigen values and eigen vectors.
Calculus: Limit, continuity
and differentiability; Partial Derivatives; Maxima and minima; Sequences and
series; Test for convergence; Fourier series.
Vector Calculus: Gradient;
Divergence and Curl; Line; surface and volume integrals; Stokes, Gauss and
Green's theorems.
Differential Equations: Linear
and non-linear first order ODEs; Higher order linear ODEs with constant
coefficients; Cauchy's and Euler's equations; Laplace transforms; PDEs - Laplace,
heat and wave equations.
Probability and Statistics:
Mean, median, mode and standard deviation; Random variables; Poisson, normal and
binomial distributions; Correlation and regression analysis.
Numerical Methods: Solutions
of linear and non-linear algebraic equations; integration of trapezoidal and
Simpson's rule; single and multi-step methods for differential equations.
FARM MACHINERY AND POWER
Sources of power on the farm-human,
animal, mechanical, electrical, wind, solar and biomass; bio-fuels; design and
selection of machine elements - gears, pulleys, chains and sprockets and belts;
overload safety devices used in farm machinery; measurement of force, torque,
speed, displacement and acceleration on machine elements.
Soil tillage; forces acting on
a tillage tool; hitch systems and hitching of tillage implements; mechanics of
animal traction; functional requirements, principles of working, construction
and operation of manual, animal and power operated equipment for tillage,
sowing, planting, fertilizer application, inter-cultivation, spraying, mowing,
chaff cutting, harvesting, threshing and transport; testing of agricultural
machinery and equipment; calculation of performance parameters -field capacity,
efficiency, application rate and losses; cost analysis of implements and
tractors
Thermodynamic principles of I.C.
engines; I.C. engine cycles; engine components; fuels and combustion;
lubricants and their properties; I.C. engine systems - fuel, cooling,
lubrication, ignition, electrical, intake and exhaust; selection, operation,
maintenance and repair of I.C. engines; power efficiencies and measurement;
calculation of power, torque, fuel consumption, heat load and power losses.
Tractors and power tillers -
type, selection, maintenance and repair; tractor clutches and brakes; power
transmission systems - gear trains, differential, final drives and power
take-off; mechanics of tractor chassis; traction theory; three point hitches-
free link and restrained link operations; mechanical steering and hydraulic
control systems used in tractors; human engineering and safety in tractor
design; tractor tests and performance.
SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION ENGINEERING
Ideal and real fluids,
properties of fluids; hydrostatic pressure and its measurement; hydrostatic
forces on plane and curved surface; continuity equation; Bernoulli's theorem;
laminar and turbulent flow in pipes, Darcy- Weisbach and Hazen-Williams
equations, Moody's diagram; flow through orifices and notches; flow in open
channels.
Engineering properties of soils;
fundamental definitions and relationships; index properties of soils;
permeability and seepage analysis; shear strength, Mohr's circle of stress,
active and passive earth pressures; stability of slopes.
Hydrological cycle;
meteorological parameters and their measurement, analysis of precipitation data;
abstraction from precipitation; runoff; hydrograph analysis, unit hydrograph
theory and application; stream flow measurement; flood routing, hydrological
reservoir and channel routing. Measurement of distance and area; chain
surveying, methods of traversing; measurement of angles and bearings, plane
table surveying; types of levelling; contouring; instruments for surveying and
levelling; computation of earth work.
Mechanics of soil erosion,
soil erosion types; wind and water erosion; factors affecting erosion; soil loss
estimation; biological and engineering measures to control erosion; terraces and
bunds; vegetative waterways; gully control structures, drop, drop inlet and
chute spillways; earthen dams; water harvesting structures, farm ponds,
watershed management.
Soil-water-plant relationship,
water requirement of crops; consumptive use and evapotranspiration; irrigation
scheduling; irrigation efficiencies; design of irrigation channels; measurement
of soil moisture, irrigation water and infiltration; surface, sprinkler and drip
methods of irrigation; design and evaluation of irrigation methods.
Drainage coefficient;
planning, design and layout of surface and sub-surface drainage systems;
leaching requirement and salinity control; irrigation and drainage water
quality.
Groundwater occurrence
confined and unconfined aquifers, evaluation of aquifer properties; well
hydraulics; groundwater recharge.
Classification of pumps; pump
characteristics; pump selection and installation.
AGRICULTURAL PROCESSING AND FOOD ENGINEERING
Steady state heat transfer in
conduction, convection and radiation; transient heat transfer in simple
geometry; condensation and boiling heat transfer; working principles of heat
exchangers; diffusive and convective mass transfer; simultaneous heat and mass
transfer in agricultural processing operations.
Material and energy balances in
food processing systems; water activity, sorption and desorption isotherms;
centrifugal separation of solids, liquids and gases; kinetics of microbial death
- pasteurization and sterilization of liquid foods; preservation of food by
cooling and freezing; refrigeration and cold storage basics and applications;
psychrometry - properties of air-vapour mixture; concentration and drying of
liquid foods - evaporators, tray, drum and spray dryers.
Mechanics and energy requirement
in size reduction of granular solids; particle size analysis for comminuted
solids; size separation by screening; fluidization of granular solids-pneumatic,
bucket, screw and belt conveying; cleaning and grading; Effectiveness of grain
cleaners.
Hydrothermal treatment, drying
and milling of cereals, pulses and oilseeds; Processing of seeds, spices, fruits
and vegetables; By-product utilization from processing industries.
Controlled and modified atmosphere
storage; Perishable food storage, godowns, bins and grain silos.
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