Chapter 1: Reproduction in Organisms Lifespan, ageing, and senescence Types of reproduction Asexual reproduction Sexual reproduction Asexual reproduction in unicellular and multicellular organisms Sexual reproduction: pre-fertilisation, fertilisation, post-fertilisation events Reproductive health in organisms (basic concepts)

Chapter 2: Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants Flower as a reproductive organ Structure of stamen and carpel Microsporogenesis and pollen grain structure Megasporogenesis and embryo sac development Pollination: types, agencies, and mechanisms Double fertilisation Post-fertilisation changes Endosperm development Embryo development Seed and fruit formation Apomixis and polyembryony (introductory)

Chapter 3: Human Reproduction Male reproductive system Female reproductive system Gametogenesis Spermatogenesis Oogenesis Menstrual cycle Fertilisation and implantation Pregnancy and embryonic development Parturition and lactation

Chapter 4: Reproductive Health Need for reproductive health Population explosion and birth control Contraceptive methods Medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Infertility and assisted reproductive technologies (ART)

Chapter 5: Principles of Inheritance and Variation Mendel’s laws of inheritance Inheritance of one gene Inheritance of two genes Deviations from Mendelian inheritance Incomplete dominance Codominance Multiple alleles and pleiotropy Chromosomal theory of inheritance Linkage and recombination Sex determination mechanisms Mutation Genetic disorders Mendelian disorders Chromosomal disorders

Chapter 6: Molecular Basis of Inheritance DNA as genetic material Structure of DNA and RNA Replication of DNA Transcription Genetic code Translation Regulation of gene expression Human Genome Project DNA fingerprinting

Chapter 7: Evolution Origin of life Evidences for evolution Adaptive radiation Biological evolution Mechanism of evolution Hardy–Weinberg principle Human evolution

Chapter 8: Human Health and Disease Health and its significance Common human diseases Pathogens and parasites Immunity Innate immunity Acquired immunity Vaccination Allergies Autoimmune diseases Drugs and alcohol abuse

Chapter 9: Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production Animal husbandry Plant breeding Single cell protein (SCP) Tissue culture Biofortification

Chapter 11: Biotechnology – Principles and Processes Principles of biotechnology Tools of recombinant DNA technology Restriction enzymes Cloning vectors Competent host Processes of genetic engineering Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Bioreactors Downstream processing

Chapter 12: Biotechnology and its Applications Biotechnology in agriculture Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) Bt crops RNA interference (RNAi) Biotechnology in medicine Gene therapy Transgenic animals Ethical issues in biotechnology

Chapter 13: Organisms and Populations Organism and environment Major abiotic factors Responses to abiotic factors Adaptations Population attributes Population growth Population interactions

Chapter 14: Ecosystem Ecosystem structure and function Productivity Decomposition Energy flow Ecological pyramids Nutrient cycles Ecological succession Ecosystem services

Chapter 15: Biodiversity and Conservation Biodiversity and its levels Patterns of biodiversity Importance of biodiversity Loss of biodiversity Biodiversity conservation In situ conservation Ex situ conservation

Chapter 16: Environmental Issues Air pollution and its control Water pollution and its control Solid waste management Agrochemicals and their effects Radioactive wastes Greenhouse effect and global warming Ozone depletion Deforestation