African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6932

Review

Plant protection: Paramount to food security in India

Sanjeev Kumar
  • Sanjeev Kumar
  • Department of Plant Pathology, Office of Dean, Faculty of Agriculture J.N. Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, MP, India- 482004, India.
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Shivnath Das
  • Shivnath Das
  • Dpartment of Agronomy, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India- 813210, India.
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Rakesh Deo Ranjan
  • Rakesh Deo Ranjan
  • Department of Plant Physiology, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar India- 813210 (Bihar), India.
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Archana Rani
  • Archana Rani
  • Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, J. N. Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, MP, India- 482004, India.
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  •  Received: 29 June 2015
  •  Accepted: 16 October 2015
  •  Published: 25 February 2016

Abstract

India carries the heavy burden of feeding a billion plus population. While it is a challenge in itself, the task is compounded further by limited resources and crop losses due to pest and diseases. Though beating the odds of diminishing land and water resources remain bleak, pest and disease inflicted crop losses can be managed with suitable crop protection techniques. Pesticide, integrated pest management (IPM), biopesticdes, Bt technology among many others have been in use for pest and disease management. Unfortunately in India, the presence of these crop saving measures and techniques have not been able to tame the mounting crop losses. The future of India’s agriculture depends a lot on developing a suitable and economically feasible plant protection exercise.

Key words: Plant protection, pesticides, food security, integrated pest management (IPM), biopesticides, India.