Biotechnological approaches in the management of plant pests, diseases and weeds for Sustainable Agriculture

INTRODUCTION Biotechnology with its promise to revolutionize agriculture around the world is assuming an increasingly greater role in India’s agricultural research. The indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides has affected humans and their environment and insect pests remains to be one of the major limiting factors in sustaining the productivity of various crops. The concept of IPM for sustainable development has emerged with the increasing realization of the importance of sustainable agriculture. IPM with emphasis on biological pest suppression aims towards sustainability and is being promoted in all the cropping systems in the country. Biotechnology has opened an exciting frontier in agriculture. Agriculture is one of the most important sectors of the developing countries. Indian economy is basically agriculture oriented and country’s economic development is largely dependent upon the development of agroculture. Agriculture represents 16.67% of India’s GDP and almost 70% of the population in the country depends primarily on agriculture, which provides employment to about 60% of the work force. Agriculture production contributes nearly 40% of our national income and about 31% of the total export of the country. In the last 50 years, the Indian agriculture has passed through several tough situations and, at the same time, made some significant progress. ‘Green Revolution’ and the subsequent advances made in agricultural sector has increased the total food grain production from 51 million metric tones (m MT) from a cultivated area of 97 million hectares (m ha) at an average of 522 kg/ha in the year 1950-51 to 209 m MT from 122 m ha at 715 kg/ha in 2005-06. Thus, in about 55 years, with an increase in area by only about 26%, India was able to achieve about 310% increase in food production at an average of 229% increase in yield per unit area (kg/ha). India now has achieved self-sufficiency in food and is emerging as a recognizable exporter of agricultural commodities. The Green, Blue, White and Yellow Revolutions are the example of remarkable accomplishments. However, our food security was somewhat shaken by the ever-increasing population which increased from 361 million in 1950 to more than 1,000 million (>1.0 billion) (about a three-fold increase) by 2007 and it is predicted to exceed 1.5 billion by 2050. Added to this and the vagaries of the monsoons, about 30% of our food production is lost to pests, diseases and weeds despite spending huge amounts on chemical pesticides for their control. Now, with the ever increasing human population the challenge before us is to double the food production in the next 30 years in the country on an environmentally sustainable basis.