Rice Insects: The Role of Host Plant Resistance in Integrated Management Systems

Insects are among the most important abiotic and biotic constraints to rice production. National rice research programs are in various stages in the development and implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) stratagies for rice insect control. Among the various control tactics, insect resistant cultivars are sought as the major tactic in rice IPM. Through the activities of interdisciplinary teams of scientists significant progress has been made in the development and release of insect resistant cultivars to farmers. Because of its compatibility with other control tactics insect resistance has proven to fit well into the IPM approach to rice insect control agents and minimize the need for insecticide applications. The development of biotypes which overcome the resistance in rice plants has been a significant constraint in the breeding of rice for resistance to insects. Most notable examples in Asia are the green leafhopper, Nephotettix virescens, brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens and the Asian rice gall midge, Orseolia oryzae. The current breeding stratege is to develop rice cultivars with durable resistance on which virulent biotypes cannot adapt. In spite of the significant progress made in the breeding of insect resistant cultivars there are still numerous important rice insect species for which host plant resistance as a control tactic has not been fully utilized. Advances in biotechnology provide promise of solving some of the problems that have limited the use of host plant resistance as a major tactic in the integrated management of rice insect pests