Genomics of Insect Resistance

The estimate of worldwide annual yield loss in maize due to pests ranges from 7 to 20%. Insects are among the most important pests of maize at all stages of development, from germination to grain filling, and can even be the main spoilers of grains in storage facilities. Each particular insect species shows preference for attacking a specific maize tissue, although other tissues are also susceptible to attack. Insect control has been achieved by diverse approaches, such as the use of insecticides, the modification of cultural practices, the use of biological methods involving parasitoids and sex pheromone-based mate-finding disruption, and the use of resistant cultivars based on monogenic or polygenic resistance. This chapter addresses the current knowledge about genomic regions and genes responsible for maize resistance to insect attack. The information on quantitative trait loci (QTL) and genes involved in resistance has been divided into six sections: (1) soil insects, (2) leaf feeders, (3) stem borers, (4) ear borers, (5) granary pests, and (6) relationships between maize genomics for resistance to insect and agronomical performance.