DYNAMICS OF INSECT-PLANT RELATIONSHIPS AND ITS APPLICATIONS IN CROP PRODUCTION

RANVIR SINGH¹*, PRITHA GHOSH², JASWINDER KAUR³, RAJWINDER KAUR SANDHU⁴, PREET KAMAL^5
1Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, 560065
²Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, 560065
³Department of Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 114004, Punjab
⁴Department of Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 114004, Punjab
⁵Department of Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 114004, Punjab
* Corresponding Author : ranvirverma11@gmail.com

Received : 15-01-2017     Accepted : 20-01-2017     Published : 06-02-2017
Volume : 9     Issue : 6       Pages : 3799 - 3804
Int J Agr Sci 9.6 (2017):3799-3804

Keywords : Antagonistic, Mutualistic, Constitutive, Pollination, Carnivorous
Academic Editor : Varun Saini, Kamal Ranveer
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Author thankful to University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, 560065
Author Contribution : literature related to insect-plant relationships was reviewed in the context of crop production

Plants and insects have coexisted for at least four hundred million years, and have evolved a variety of antagonistic and mutualistic relationships. As plants are attached by insect herbivores, they have evolved different defense mechanisms to reduce insect attack. Constitutive defenses are present continuously in the plant, but the induced defenses are activated only after the insect attack. The activation of induced defenses is result of highly sophisticated signaling system. In course of time, insect have also evolved several mechanisms to overcome plant defense barriers. In pollination, insects pollinate the plant in exchange of nectar and pollen, thus both are mutually benefitted. In addition, various carnivorous plants are known that have developed mechanisms to trap and digest insects in order to supplement their food requirement. Thorough knowledge of insect plant relationship can be exploited for sustainable crop production.