Advances in Insect Resistance Breeding against Brown Planthopper and Gall Midge in Rice

Abstract

There is always a silent war ongoing between the plants and the insects, and during the long run, the insects emerge triumphant. Time and tide the pest management tactics such as chemical usage although manage the pest to a certain level but they also sometimes hamper the natural enemies that bring down the pest population. Indiscriminate usage of insecticides also results in developing adaptation to the particular toxic compound. Similar is the case of host plant resistance. Their adaptation is rapid, thus leading to the breakdown of resistance. Hence, there is a need to incorporate the molecular and the genetic tools that will confer resistance against inexorable pest. The molecular approach such as subduing of serotonin biosynthesis and instigating the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) in cereal crops such as rice affects the feeding behavior of the insects triggering a defense response. Similarly in gall midge, 11 R (Gm1 to Gm11) genes and seven distinct biotypes have been characterized in the tropics like India. Breeding programs for gall midge resistance have shown promise due to monogenic nature of resistance. These advances in rice genetics have opened new avenues for the development of genetically engineered plants a stable pest management approach. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.