Cotton, a crop of choice, occupies the second premier position next to food crops in providing clothing. Though 53 species of Gossypium are available, only four species are cultivable and among the four, the major cultivable area falls under G. hirsutum. Though varieties with medium, superior medium, long and extra long staple cotton were released earlier, with the advent of machineries, ginning facilities, mills were literally requiring cotton fiber of any length. With the advent of Bt technology and the release of hybrids during 2002, cotton productivity had a momentum. However, considering the duration, cost involved in manual harvesting etc., farmers were looking for alternate option and High Density Planting System (HDPS) offered a promise in this direction. Farmers were looking for genotypes that could yield better under higher planting densities with fewer bolls per plant, synchronized maturity with uniform bursting. Efforts have been taken all over the World in this direction and India is not an exception. Handful of varieties fitting to this situation has been released from many of the Universities. This chapter essentially summarizes the genetic, agronomic, plant protection interventions and the futuristic requirements for achieving at least 700 kg of lint per hectare.

Background: Groundnut is a prominent oilseed crop in India but its productivity is far below the potential yield due to lack of knowledge and adoption of improved varieties and technologies. Technology gap is a major problem in groundnut production in North Eastern zone of Tamil Nadu State in which Cuddalore district falls. A scientific and systematic effort was made to study the impact on yield by assessing technological gap existing in various components of groundnut cultivation through cluster frontline demonstrations (CFLDs) with scientific technologies. Methods: Cluster Frontline Demonstrations was implemented in groundnut to improve the production potential of improved varieties and new technologies through Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK). The study with one of its objective to assess yield and technology gap in groundnut was conducted with 175 demonstrations during the period from 2020-21 to 2022-23 covering seven blocks in an area of 70 hectares in Cuddalore district following cluster random sampling method. Two main varieties VRI 8 and VRI 10 along with improved technologies were demonstrated in farmer’s field by providing necessary critical inputs seed pods, bio control agents along with seed drill sowing, Result: There resulted 62.13 per cent increase in yield as observed in demonstration plots over farmers’ practices in groundnut. The study revealed that in groundnut, the average extension gap (difference of demo and farmer plot yield) is 16.26 q/ha, average technology gap (difference of potential and demo plot yield) is 12.21 q/ha and average technology index of demonstrations is 22.21 per cent. The higher average net returns (Rs. 149758/ha) were recorded in demonstration plot (BCR 2.3) compared to farmers’ plot. The Sustainability Yield Index (SYI) and Sustainability Value Index (SVI) in demo plot are higher consistently than farmers plot mainly due to the effect of cluster frontline demonstrations with proper application of inputs/technologies viz., VRI 8 and VRI 10 varieties, seed treatment with bio fertilizers, bio control agents, soil test based nutrient management, application of TNAU crop booster groundnut rich and gypsum application.

Cotton-melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is emerging as a potential threat to cotton cultivation worldwide. The resistance categories in Gossypium arboreum to A. gossypii still need to be explored. We screened 87 G. arboreum and 20 Gossypium hirsutum genotypes against aphids under natural field conditions. Twenty-six selected genotypes from these 2 species were tested under glasshouse conditions for resistance categories (antixenosis, antibiosis, and tolerance). Resistance categories were assessed by no-choice antibiosis assay, free-choice aphid settling assay, cumulative aphid days using population buildup tests, chlorophyl loss index, and damage ratings. No-choice antibiosis experiment revealed that the G. arboreum genotypes GAM156, PA785, CNA1008, DSV1202, FDX235, AKA2009-6, DAS1032, DHH05-1, GAM532, and GAM216 had a significant adverse effect on aphid development time, longevity, and fecundity. Gossypium arboreum genotypes CISA111 and AKA2008-7 expressed a low level of antixenosis but possessed antibiosis and tolerance. Aphid resistance persisted uniformly at different plant developmental stages studied. The chlorophyl loss percentage and damage rating scores were lower in G. arboreum than in G. hirsutum genotypes, indicating the existence of tolerance in G. arboreum to aphids. Logical relations analysis of resistance contributing factors depicted the presence of antixenosis, antibiosis, and tolerance in the G. arboreum genotypes PA785, CNA1008, DSV1202, and FDX235, indicating their utility for evaluating the mechanisms of resistance and aphid resistance introgression breeding into G. hirsutum to develop commercially cultivated cotton lines.

The rapid growth of the global population, projected to exceed 9.1 billion by 2050, has heightened concerns about food security. Post-harvest losses, which account for 20–40% of total losses, primarily occur during transportation (55%) and due to insect infestations, which cause 10–40% of annual food grain losses. Effective pest management is essential for preserving food quality and preventing economic losses. Various detection technologies and methods, such as traps, kernel staining, and imaging techniques, have been developed to identify insect presence in stored grains. These methods help monitor insect populations and assess pest control strategies, with traps being particularly effective for early detection due to their convenience and continuous sampling capabilities. The use of both physical and attractant-based traps exploits insect behaviors to manage pest populations, reducing the need for labor-intensive sampling and pesticide use. <!----> <!----> <!----> <!---->

The indiscriminate use of organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides in agriculture and sericulture has led to the development of resistance in Bombyx mori, the domesticated silkworm, posing challenges to silk production and agricultural sustainability. This review explores the complex resistance mechanisms employed by silkworms, including genetic adaptations, metabolic detoxification, and microbial symbiosis. Advances in high-throughput sequencing, such as microarrays and RNA-Seq, have identified key detoxification enzymes, gut microbial communities, and gene expression networks involved in resistance. The role of microbial symbionts in enhancing pesticide resistance through gut-mediated processes is discussed, along with the physiological and developmental impacts of sublethal exposure to newer insecticides like tolfenpyrad. The sequencing of the Bombyx mori genome has been a major milestone, revolutionizing research in genetics, molecular biology, and biotechnology, and offering insights into gene regulation under pesticide stress. Future strategies to improve pesticide resistance may involve microbiota manipulation, genetic engineering, and sustainable pest control practices. These insights not only have implications for sericulture but also provide broader applications for management of other lepidopteran pests.

Plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are key components in plant-insect interactions, greatly influencing herbivory, pollination and tritrophic interactions. Despite the growing body of research exploring the chemical, ecological and applied aspects of VOCs, a systematic bibliometric synthesis to consolidate existing knowledge and identify emerging trends is still lacking. This review employs bibliometric and thematic analyses on 362 peer-reviewed publications to map the intellectual landscape of VOC research in plant–insect ecology. Data were retrieved through a structured search strategy and screened based on language and publication type. Notable trends include a sharp rise in VOC-related publications after 2013, with major contributions from journals such as Journal of Chemical Ecology and New Phytologist. Leading authors such as M. Dicke and T.C.J. Turlings have helped shape the field's direction, while collaborative networks reveal strong international partnerships, especially among the US, China, Germany and the UK as determined by citation frequency and network centrality metrics. Thematic mapping shows central focus areas on insect responses, plant defences and chemical signalling, with rising interdisciplinary interest in genomics, microbial ecology and climate impacts. Notably, gaps persist in macroevolutionary studies, belowground VOC signalling and field-based validations. This review highlights the evolving research frontiers and encourages deeper integration of VOC research with sustainable agriculture, molecular ecology and environmental resilience. These findings provide a valuable reference for guiding future studies and fostering innovation in plant-insect chemical ecology.