Insect Smart Pulses for Sustainable Agriculture

The development of high-yielding insect-tolerant cultivars using conventional methods has been slow due to a number of reasons. With the advent of recombinant tools and genetic transformation systems, it has been possible to harness gene pool(s) by crossing the species barrier and utilize them for desired trait. Insect pest resistance has largely been introgressed in many crops, including pulses, by using the cry genes from Bacillus thuringiensis. However, many plant genes like lectins, protein inhibitors, etc. are also available that impart tolerance to insect pests and can be used for developing insect-tolerant plants. In comparison with other crops, relatively less work is available in this context in pulses because of their recalcitrant nature and biosafety issues related to candidate gene(s). In the regime of climate change, plant-pest dynamics has also witnessed change, and the need to develop transgenic tolerant to both pest and diseases is desirable. In context of sustainable pulse production, it is essential to develop and use insect-tolerant transgenics that have been developed by following the biosafety regulations, are high yielding, fit into popular cropping systems, and are expected to be remunerative to the stakeholders.