Keys to the increased use of host plant resistance in integrated pest management

Abstract

Host-plant resistance as a management tactic involves both the exploitation of intraspecific variation in genetically based plant resistance to breed crop varieties that support lower populations of herbivores or that better tolerate injury by herbivores and the integration of said varieties with other management tactics such as insecticide applications and biological control. There are several barriers to the increased development and use of resistant cultivars in IPM. Many of these barriers arise from the complex genetic and phenotypic nature of plant resistance. In addition, insufficient attention has been given to the integration of plant resistance with other IPM tactics, and to quantifying the benefits of plant resistance in multi-tactic IPM programs. Three keys to overcoming these barriers are described: increased understanding of the causal bases of plant resistance, increased application of modern genetic tools, and a more quantitative approach to implementing host-plant resistance.