Delivering sustainable crop protection systems via the seed: exploiting natural constitutive and inducible defence pathways

John A. Pickett, Gudbjorg I. Aradottír, Michael A Birkett, Toby J. A. Bruce, Antony M. Hooper, Charles A. O. Midega, Huw D Jones, Michaela C. Matthes, Johnathan A. Napier, Jimmy O. Pittchar, Lesley E Smart, Christine M. Woodcock, Zeyaur R. Khan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

22 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

To reduce the need for seasonal inputs, crop protection will have to be delivered via the seed and other planting material. Plant secondary metabolism can be harnessed for this purpose by new breeding technologies, genetic modification and companion cropping, the latter already on-farm in sub-Saharan Africa. Secondary metabolites offer the prospect of pest management as robust as that provided by current pesticides, for which many lead compounds were, or are currently deployed as, natural products. Evidence of success and promise is given for pest management in industrial and developing agriculture. Additionally, opportunities for solving wider problems of sustainable crop protection, and also production, are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Article number0281
JournalPhilosophical Transactions B: Biological Sciences
Volume369
Issue number1639
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 05 Apr 2014

Keywords

  • Agriculture
  • Animals
  • Aphids
  • Breeding
  • Pest Control, Biological
  • Pheromones
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Population Growth
  • Seeds

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