Genetic Engineering of Rice for Resistance to Insect Pests

Abstract

For human being, rice is an important crop both as a source of food and income. As the world population is expected to increase to 9.2 billion by 2050, there is a dare need to increase global food production to overcome the demand of world population. But unfortunately, there are a number of abiotic and biotic factors affecting rice production. Among these factors insect pests is a major hurdle for achieving higher rice production. Annually, an average of 37% rice production losses due to insect’s pests and diseases has been observed. Globally, there are around 100 insects species considered as rice pests. Rice plant remains vulnerable to these insects from sowing till harvest. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) including: chemical insecticides to biological control methods. Pesticides in the form of fungicides, herbicides and insecticides are contributing a huge part in rice production and around USD5.37 million are spent on them annually. The best choice and an important tool for the farmers is the use of chemical pesticides due to its high effectiveness, quick mode of action and ease of application. But, unnecessary and excessive use of pesticides leads to environment contamination, decline in beneficial insects and secondary pest outbreak. Moreover, the insects have the ability to evolve themselves against these insecticidal chemistries. In current scenario for the safe and sustainable agriculture, there is a need of more efficient, environment friendly, accurate and targeted approach is required. Biotechnology and genetic engineering can provide a hope and safe alternative to the pesticides in rice production. Advances in the said fields have been integrated in classical breading approach. Single gene transformation or gene pyramiding has been used for accumulation of multiple resistant gene in crop variety resistant to pests. Number of transgenic rice varieties have been developed, which are capable to sustain abiotic and biotic stresses and has improved nutritional values. There are number of techniques used to produce insect resistant rice crop varieties including: mutagenesis, introduction of foreign gene (single gene and gene pyramiding), genetically engineered/modified Bt Toxins, transplastomic approaches, oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis, engineered nucleases, antisense technologies and engineered plant membrane transporters. Although at global, number of insect resistance rice varieties have been developed, till date no such variety of rice has been approved by any country.