APPSC · Notification No. 19/2026

APPSC Horticulture Officer 2026

37 zonal posts, three 150-mark CBT papers

  • 37 posts
  • Apply by 27 Oct 2026
  • 3 papers · 450 marks
  • 150 min per paper
  • Paper I ready · Paper II coming soon
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Official notification 19/2026 (PDF)

At a glance

Important dates

Notification
6 October 2026
Apply from
6 October 2026
Last date
27 October 2026, 11:59 PM
Exam date
Not announced yet

Vacancies

37 posts · provisional

Horticulture Officer exam pattern

PaperQsMinMarks
Qualifying test: General English & General Telugu (50 + 50, SSC standard) 100 100 100
Paper I: General Studies & Mental Ability 150 150 150
Paper II: Horticulture I 150 150 150
Paper III: Horticulture II 150 150 150
Total450

Paper I + Paper II: Horticulture I & II (coming soon)

Horticulture Officer: full course · ₹1,099₹599

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  • 4 previous papers
  • 10 sectional tests
  • 1,122 study notes
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  • In English and Telugu
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What Horticulture Officer really tests

Biggest block: Paper I: Current events (15%). How questions are asked.

APPSC Notification 19/2026 fills 37 zonal Horticulture Officer posts with no screening test and no interview. Three 150-mark CBT papers decide merit out of 450, and Papers II and III (300 marks) are horticulture, in English only.

Based on Paper I only: the common Paper I of APPSC's 2022 and 2025 Assistant Statistical Officer exams, 294 questions. No Horticulture Paper II or III was analysed.

Paper I

  1. Current events15%
  2. History of India and AP14%
  3. Geography of India and AP13%
  4. Economy and planning12%
  5. Reasoning11%
  6. Sustainable development and environment9%
  7. Data analysis8%
  8. General science and S&T7%
  9. Polity and governance6%
  10. Disaster management5%
Share of each paper's questions, by topic, in the real papers.

Difficulty in the real papers

  • Easy 46%
  • Medium 39%
  • Hard 15%
  • History, geography and current events made up about 42% of Paper I (124 of 294 questions).
  • AP geography (soils, rainfall, irrigation, crop regions) also serves the horticultural zones of AP in Papers II and III.
  • Polity jumped from 3 questions in 2022 to 16 in 2025; do not skip it.
  • 2025 was easier than 2022 (87 easy questions against 49): accuracy beats attempting hard questions under negative marking.

How questions are asked

  • Paper I: mostly direct one-line questions (112 of about 147 in 2022)
  • Paper I 2025: match-the-following 23, multi-statement 9
  • Paper I: numerical items 20 in 2022, 7 in 2025
  • Papers II and III: syllabus of named items suits direct and match questions

The job and who can apply

Qualification, age limit and selection

A post in the A.P. Horticulture Service: orchards, vegetables, flowers, nurseries, micro irrigation (APMIP), NHM, ATMA and KVKs. Pay scale Rs. 54,060 – 1,40,540.

Qualification
A four-year B.Sc. or B.Sc. (Hons) in Horticulture from a recognised State or ICAR-accredited university, held on 06.10.2026.
Age
18 to 44 years as on 01.07.2026. Relaxation: SC, ST, BC and EWS 5 years; PBD 10 years; ex-servicemen 3 years plus service.
Also
Zonal post: 31 of 37 posts are for local candidates (Class I to VII study certificates). Zones I-VI: 7, 6, 7, 7, 6, 4 posts.
Also
BC Non-Creamy Layer and EWS certificates must be issued between 01.04.2026 and 27.10.2026, the last date of application.
Also
By category: OC 21, SC 5, ST 2, BC-A 3, BC-B 2, BC-C 1, EWS 3; 6 posts for women.
  1. Written exam (CBRT), 450 marksPapers I, II and III, 150 questions in 150 minutes each. Absence in any paper disqualifies you.
  2. Qualifying test: General English and General Telugu100 questions, 100 minutes, SSC standard. Pass English and Telugu separately; not part of the 450.
  3. Computer Proficiency Test (qualifying)Shortlisted candidates: 60 minutes, 100 marks, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, typing. Shortlisting needs 40% OC, 35% BC, 30% SC/ST/PBD.
  4. Certificate verification and medical fitnessOriginal certificates checked; no waiting list, only notified vacancies are filled.

Horticulture Officer syllabus

4 papers, 109 topics

Paper I ready · Paper II coming soon in Medha AI. Paper I: APPSC Paper I: General Studies & Mental Ability · Paper II: Horticulture I & II Coming soon

Full numbered syllabus: every topic, chapter and micro-topic (printable)

Qualifying test: General English & General Telugu

100 questions · 100 min · 100 marks

SSC-standard language basics. Failing English or Telugu ends your candidature, however well you do elsewhere.

General English (50 marks)
  • Comprehension
  • Usage and idiom
  • Vocabulary and punctuation
  • Logical re-arrangement of sentences
General Telugu (50 marks)
  • Synonyms and vocabulary
  • Grammar
  • Telugu to English meanings
  • English to Telugu meanings

Paper I: General Studies & Mental Ability

150 questions · 150 min · 150 marks

The common APPSC Paper I. Current events, history and geography (focus on AP) carry the most questions; reasoning and data analysis reward practice.

1. Current events
  • Major current events and issues: international, national and Andhra Pradesh
2. General science
  • Science in day-to-day life
  • Contemporary developments in science and technology
  • Information technology
3. History of India
  • Social, economic, cultural and political aspects
  • Focus on Andhra Pradesh
  • Indian National Movement
4. Geography
  • Geography of India with focus on Andhra Pradesh
5. Polity and governance
  • Constitutional issues
  • Public policy and reforms
  • e-Governance initiatives
6. Economy
  • Indian economy and planning
7. Environment
  • Sustainable development and environmental protection
8. Disaster management
  • Vulnerability profile
  • Prevention and mitigation strategies
  • Remote sensing and GIS in disaster assessment
9. Reasoning
  • Logical reasoning
  • Analytical ability
  • Logical interpretation
10. Data analysis
  • Tabulation of data
  • Visual representation of data
  • Summary statistics: mean, median, mode, variance
  • Interpretation

Paper II: Horticulture-I

150 questions · 150 min · 150 marks

Crop production and post-harvest, in nine units, naming exact crops (8 fruits, 40 vegetables, 11 flowers and more). Expect varieties, rootstocks, disorders, harvest indices. English only.

1. Fruit crops
  • Mango, banana, citrus, grape, pineapple, guava, papaya, sapota
  • Origin, botany, varieties, rootstocks, high density planting
  • Training and pruning, nutrition, bahar treatment, irrigation scheduling
  • Flowering, fruit set, seedlessness, irregular bearing, growth regulators
  • Harvest indices, grading, packing for internal and export markets, ripening and storage
  • Physiological disorders in fruit crops
2. Vegetable crops
  • Tomato, brinjal, chillies, sweet pepper, potato, okra
  • Cucurbits and melons; cluster bean, French bean, dolichos, pea, broad bean
  • Cabbage, cauliflower, knolkhol; radish, carrot, beetroot, turnip; onion, garlic
  • Sweet potato, tapioca, amorphophallus, colocasia, dioscorea, yam; amaranthus, palak, roselle; drumstick, coccinia, murraya
  • Nursery, nutrition, irrigation, physiological disorders, harvest indices, curing, storage, growth regulators
3. Floriculture, ornamental gardening and landscaping
  • Rose, chrysanthemum, jasmine, carnation, gladiolus, anthurium, tuberose, china aster, marigold, crossandra, gerbera
  • Growth and flowering control, growth regulators, postharvest handling and shelf life of flowers
  • Bioaesthetic planning; ornamental trees, shrubs, climbers, cacti, succulents
  • Japanese, English and Mughal gardens; garden features; indoor plants
  • Flower arrangement; bonsai
4. Medicinal, aromatic, spice and plantation crops
  • Medicinal: aloe, aonla, stevia, ashwagandha, opium poppy, sarpagandha, isabgol, senna, safed musli and others
  • Aromatic: citronella, lemon grass, palmarosa, vetiver, geranium, davana, mints, lavender, vanilla; distillation of essential oils
  • Spices: turmeric, ginger, coriander, fenugreek, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, cumin
  • Plantation: coconut, cashew, oil palm, betelvine, coffee, tea, cacao, arecanut, rubber
  • Curing, processing, storage and export potential
5. Dryland horticulture and watershed management
  • Dry climates of India and Andhra Pradesh
  • Adaptive features of dryland fruit crops for drought and salinity
  • Watershed objectives, planning steps, land use capability, soil and water conservation, water harvesting
  • Ber, pomegranate, custard apple, phalsa, fig, aonla, jamun, tamarind
6. Post-harvest management
  • Maturity indices, harvesting, handling and grading
  • Pre-harvest factors, causes of deterioration, delaying ripening
  • Storage for local and export markets
  • Packaging: containers, cushioning, vacuum, shrink packaging, grape guard, cold storage, transport
7. Preservation of fruits and vegetables
  • Preservation by heat, cold, chemicals, sugar, salt, vinegar, drying, freezing, radiation
  • Canning and bottling; processing unit layout and hygiene
  • Spoilage organisms; spoilage of cans: hydrogen swell, flipper, dent, leaker
  • Permitted and prohibited preservatives and colours in India
8. Farm power and machinery (with processed products)
  • Farm power sources in AP and India, IC engines, tractors and cost of tractor power, electric motors
  • Tillage implements, seed-cum-fertilizer drills, planters, grafting and pruning tools, plant protection, harvesting and soil conservation equipment
  • Processing equipment; jams, jellies, marmalades, candies, preserves, chutneys, pickles, ketchup, squashes, cordials
  • Import-export policy on processed fruits, food laws, quality control
9. Greenhouse management
  • Status of protected cultivation in the world, India and AP
  • Types of greenhouses by shape, material, utility and cladding
  • Managing light, temperature, CO2 and humidity; growing media and pasteurisation; fertigation
  • Greenhouse production of tomato, cucumber, rose, carnation, gerbera, chrysanthemum, anthurium

Paper III: Horticulture-II

150 questions · 150 min · 150 marks

The science behind the crops: propagation, physiology, pests, diseases, soils, agroforestry, extension, organic farming. Many units are lists of named items. English only.

1. Fundamentals of horticulture
  • Divisions of horticulture; horticultural stations in AP; horticultural zones of India and AP
  • Site selection, orchard plan, systems of planting
  • Nutrient assessment, deficiency symptoms, irrigation methods
  • Pruning and training; pollination, fruit set, flower and fruit drop; fruit thinning; unfruitfulness
  • Cropping systems, multi-tier cropping, mulching, bearing habits; rejuvenation, top working, frame working; kitchen gardens
2. Plant propagation and nursery management
  • Seed dormancy, germination, pre-germination treatments, viability tests
  • Cuttage, layerage, budding and grafting and the crops each suits
  • Rootstocks, scion banks, stock-scion relationships, bud wood certification
  • Nursery Registration Act
  • Micropropagation: media, explants, subculture, rooting
3. Plant physiology
  • Seed viability and vigour
  • Photosynthesis: light and dark reactions; C3, C4 and CAM; photorespiration; respiration
  • Auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, ethylene, inhibitors, retardants, morphactins
  • Growth regulators in dormancy, flowering, parthenocarpy, fruit drop, ripening (climacteric and non-climacteric), sex expression, shelf life
4. Entomology
  • Common pests of horticultural crops: host range, damage, symptoms, control
  • Life cycles of insect pests and nematodes
  • Integrated pest management
5. Pathology
  • Common diseases: etiology, symptoms, control
  • Life cycles of bacteria, fungi, viruses
  • Integrated disease management
6. Soil science
  • Soil texture classes, structure, pH and nutrient availability
  • Organic matter, humus, C:N ratio
  • Essential and beneficial elements, criteria of essentiality, deficiency symptoms
  • Manures, straight, compound and complex fertilizers, biofertilizers, INM
  • Fertilizer Control Order
7. Introductory agroforestry
  • Agroforestry systems, home gardens, coconut-based cropping
  • Multipurpose trees: sissoo, Acacia catechu, babul, ber, grewia, subabul, tamarind, eucalyptus, teak, casuarina, red sanders, neem, soapnut, aonla, morus, bamboo
  • Bio-diesel trees: jatropha, pongamia, simarouba
  • Agroforestry vs social forestry; hortipastoral systems
8. Extension education
  • Formal and informal education, teaching-learning, communication
  • Audio-visual aids
  • Transfer-of-technology programmes: KVK, TAR-IVLP, ATIC, NHM, APMIP, DWCRA and others
  • Extension reforms: ATMA, SREP, PRA and its tools
9. Organic farming
  • Organic production requirements; manures, vermicompost, green manuring, biofertilizers
  • Biocontrol agents, biopesticides, pheromones, trap crops, bird perches
  • Certification, labelling, accreditation, marketing, exports
  • National and international policies on organic farming

1/3 of the marks for a question is deducted for each wrong answer: 0.33 marks per wrong answer.

The language test must be passed in English and Telugu separately; it is not counted in the total. Each wrong answer costs 1/3 of the marks for that question.

APPSC Paper I syllabus · APPSC Paper I study notes

A 14-week plan for Horticulture Officer

5 phases, week by week

Assumes a B.Sc. Horticulture graduate with about 5 hours a day. If the exam comes sooner, keep the order and shorten each phase.

  1. Weeks 1-2

    Paper III science base and Paper I history

    • Plant physiology: C3, C4, CAM and a one-page growth regulator table with uses.
    • Propagation methods against crops, seed dormancy, micropropagation, Nursery Registration Act.
    • Paper I history of India and AP; 20 minutes a day of Telugu and English.

  2. Weeks 3-5

    Paper II fruits and vegetables

    • One page per fruit crop: varieties, rootstocks, pruning, disorders, harvest index.
    • Vegetables by family: seed rate, spacing, disorders, curing of onion and garlic.
    • Paper I geography of India and AP; a 50-question test every Sunday.

  3. Weeks 6-9

    Rest of Paper II and Paper III

    • Flowers, medicinal, spice and plantation crops; crop-wise pest and disease table.
    • Dryland fruits, post-harvest, preservation, greenhouses, farm machinery; soils, agroforestry, extension acronyms.
    • Paper I polity, economy, sustainable development and disaster management.

  4. Weeks 10-11

    Paper I application part, current events, sectionals

    • Reasoning 20 questions a day; data analysis by hand.
    • Current events of the last 12 months, with AP farmer schemes.
    • One 50-question Paper II or III sectional a day, with an error notebook.

  5. Weeks 12-14

    Full mocks in exam conditions

    • At least 3 full rounds of Papers I, II and III, 150 minutes each.
    • After each mock, count marks lost to wrong answers.
    • Revise only from your one-page crop, regulator and pest-disease tables.

Mistakes that cost marks

5 traps seen in the real papers
  • Studying only crops. Paper III is a full 150 marks of physiology, propagation, pests, diseases, soils and extension.
  • Learning crops in Telugu only. Papers II and III are in English only; learn English terms and botanical names.
  • Ignoring the qualifying English and Telugu test. It adds no marks, but you must pass each separately.
  • Guessing blindly. With 1/3 negative marking, attempt a doubtful question only if you can rule out one option.
  • Missing the certificate dates: BC NCL and EWS certificates must be issued between 01.04.2026 and 27.10.2026.

తెలుగులో సంక్షిప్తంగా

In brief, in Telugu

APPSC నోటిఫికేషన్ 19/2026 ద్వారా 37 జోనల్ హార్టికల్చర్ ఆఫీసర్ పోస్టులను భర్తీ చేస్తారు; స్క్రీనింగ్ టెస్ట్, ఇంటర్వ్యూ ఉండవు. ఒక్కొక్కటి 150 మార్కుల మూడు CBT పేపర్లు 450 మార్కులకు మెరిట్‌ను నిర్ణయిస్తాయి; 300 మార్కుల పేపర్ II, పేపర్ III హార్టికల్చర్ పేపర్లు, ఇంగ్లీష్‌లో మాత్రమే ఉంటాయి.

How to apply

Online at psc.ap.gov.in, by 27 Oct 2026
  1. Read notification 19/2026 on the official APPSC website.
  2. Go to psc.ap.gov.in. If you are new, register with One Time Profile Registration (OTPR).
  3. Apply online between 6 October 2026 and 27 October 2026, up to 11:59 PM.

Medha AI does not take applications or fees. Apply only on the official APPSC website.

Dates are from the official notification, checked on 20 October 2026. We list an exam date only after the commission announces it. Recheck psc.ap.gov.in for changes. Vacancies in a notification are provisional and can change.

Sources: APPSC detailed notification 19/2026 dated 06/10/2026: p. 1 (vacancies, dates, CBRT), p. 2 (qualification), pp. 2-4 (reservations, NCL/EWS), pp. 4-5 (age), pp. 5-6 (local candidates, zones), pp. 7-8 (corrections, fee), pp. 8-9 (scheme, negative marks, normalisation, CPT, centres, language of papers), pp. 9-10 (no waiting list, rules cited, distance-mode degrees), p. 11 (selection, qualifying marks, SC/ST rule), pp. 13-14 (Annexure I vacancies, women and sportspersons), pp. 15-20 (Annexure II scheme and syllabus), pp. 21-23 (CPT); APPSC brief notification 19/2026 dated 15/09/2026: p. 2 (single-level exam, no screening test), pp. 3-13 (scheme and syllabus as first published), pp. 14-18 (CPT); Medha AI level analysis of the common Paper I (APPSC ASO 2022 and 2025 papers, final keys), docs/exams/APPSC-P1-level.md.

APPSC Horticulture Officer questions

14 common questions, answered
Can a B.Sc. Agriculture graduate apply for APPSC Horticulture Officer?

No. The notification names only a four-year B.Sc. or B.Sc. (Hons) in Horticulture; B.Sc. Agriculture is not listed.

I am in the final year of B.Sc. Horticulture. Can I apply?

No. You must hold the degree on 06.10.2026, the date of the detailed notification.

When is the Horticulture Officer exam in 2026?

Not announced yet. Applications run from 06.10.2026 to 27.10.2026, 11:59 pm; hall tickets will be on psc.ap.gov.in.

Is there a screening test or an interview?

No. It is a single-level exam: merit in Papers I, II and III (450 marks), subject to passing the Computer Proficiency Test.

Can I write the exam in Telugu?

Paper I is in English with a Telugu translation (English counts for valuation). Papers II and III are English only.

How many posts are there in my zone?

Zone I 7, Zone II 6, Zone III 7, Zone IV 7, Zone V 6, Zone VI 4. In each zone one post is open, the rest local.

What is the age limit and the fee?

18 to 44 years as on 01.07.2026 (SC, ST, BC, EWS +5 years; PBD +10). Fee: Rs. 250 processing plus Rs. 120 exam fee; many categories are exempt from the Rs. 120.

Is Paper I the same as in other APPSC 2026 posts?

Yes, the same 10-item syllabus as most 2026 notifications. Horticulture Papers II and III are not yet on Medha AI.

When is the APPSC Horticulture Officer exam 2026?

Not announced yet. Notification 19/2026 says the date will be announced later. Check the official APPSC website, psc.ap.gov.in.

What is the last date to apply for APPSC Horticulture Officer?

Online applications are open from 6 October 2026 to 27 October 2026, up to 11:59 PM, on psc.ap.gov.in.

How many posts are there in APPSC Horticulture Officer 2026?

37 posts as notified in 19/2026. The number is provisional and can change.

What is the APPSC Horticulture Officer exam pattern?

Qualifying test: General English & General Telugu (50 + 50, SSC standard) (100 questions, 100 minutes, 100 marks). Paper I: General Studies & Mental Ability (150 questions, 150 minutes, 150 marks). Paper II: Horticulture I (150 questions, 150 minutes, 150 marks). Paper III: Horticulture II (150 questions, 150 minutes, 150 marks). Total 450 marks. Each wrong answer costs 1/3 of the marks for that question.

Is there a syllabus for APPSC Horticulture Officer?

Yes. The scheme and syllabus are in an annexure of notification 19/2026. Paper I is General Studies & Mental Ability. You can practise it in Medha AI now with APPSC Paper I.

Where do I apply for APPSC Horticulture Officer?

Only on the official APPSC website, psc.ap.gov.in. Medha AI does not take applications. Medha AI is an independent preparation service. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to APPSC, TSPSC, MPSC, UPSC or any other commission or government body.

All APPSC notifications 2026 · APPSC exams on Medha AI

Medha AI is an independent preparation service. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to APPSC, TSPSC, MPSC, UPSC or any other commission or government body. Facts are from the official notification as checked on 20 October 2026.

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