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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Salinas, California » Crop Improvement and Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #171585
Title: REDUCING VIRUS ASSOCIATED CROP LOSS THROUGH RESISTANCE TO INSECT VECTORS

Author
item MUTSCHLER, MARTHA - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item Wintermantel, William - Bill

Submitted to: Natural Resistance Mechanisms of Plants to Viruses
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/7/2005
Publication Date: 4/24/2006
Citation: Mutschler, M.A., Wintermantel, W.M. 2006. Reducing virus associated crop loss through resistance to insect vectors. Natural Resistance Mechanisms of Plants to Viruses. G. Loebenstein and J.P. Carr (eds.)241-260.

Interpretive Summary: Control of pests and diseases is a major challenge to agricultural production. As insect resistant crops are developed, the question arises as to whether effective insect resistance could be a component in an integrated strategy for control of insect transmitted viruses. The viability of this option depends on the virus, vector, and host plant targeted, the interactions of these organisms, the type of pest resistance available, and how the resistance impacts these interactions. Pest resistance mechanisms that require the pest to feed I order to ingest a toxin or induce the control mechanism are unlikely to reduce the transmission of rapidly acquired and/or transmitted viruses. The most effective pest resistance systems and virus/vector/crop combinations for reduction of virus transmission are likely to involve viruses that require relatively long feeding periods for virus acquisition and transmission, and host plant resistance that is very rapid acting, perhaps constitutive, and is very effective at preventing or delaying feeding by vectors. In some such cases, resistance to insect feeding may be effective as a component of an integrated pest management strategy for reducing virus infection in the field.

Technical Abstract: Control of pests and diseases is a major challenge to agricultural production. As insect resistant crops are developed, the question arises as to whether effective insect resistance could be a component in an integrated strategy for control of insect transmitted viruses. The viability of this option depends on the virus, vector, and host plant targeted, the interactions of these organisms, the type of pest resistance available, and how the resistance impacts these interactions. Pest resistance mechanisms that require the pest to feed I order to ingest a toxin or induce the control mechanism are unlikely to reduce the transmission of rapidly acquired and/or transmitted viruses. The most effective pest resistance systems and virus/vector/crop combinations for reduction of virus transmission are likely to involve viruses that require relatively long feeding periods for virus acquisition and transmission, and host plant resistance that is very rapid acting, perhaps constitutive, and is very effective at preventing or delaying feeding by vectors. In some such cases, resistance to insect feeding may be effective as a component of an integrated pest management strategy for reducing virus infection in the field.