Advances in breeding for resistance to insects

Abstract

Traditionally, researcher has put more focus on disease resistance than on insect resistance, but the adverse effects of excessive use of pesticides on human health, environment, phyto-sanitation, market access, and global trade have led to renewed interest in breeding for resistance to insects. The development of insect-resistant crops is a sustainable way to manage pests. In this chapter, historical impact of resistance to insects in ensuring food security has been cited. The identification of new sources of resistance to insects and better understanding of resistance mechanisms have opened new avenues in the field of host-plant resistance (HPR). New insights into structural and functional aspects of genes conferring resistance to insects (R-genes) during the past two-three decades and their proper utilization, by researchers, have been discussed. The breeding methods for developing resistance to insects in self- and cross-pollinated crops have been elaborated. The findings on complex host-pest interactions and overlapping of controlling genes or quantitative trait loci (QTL) for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses emphasizes the adoption of holistic approaches to develop insect-resistant crops.