This collection is a Thematic Series of Journal of Cotton Research.
Guest Editors
Dr. Babasaheb B. Fand, ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur, India
Dr. Jinjie Cui, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
About the Thematic Series
Globally, the pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechidae) is the most devastating insect pest of cultivated cotton (Gossypium sp.). Recently, the resurgence of pestilence in pink bollworm on transgenic cotton due to resistance development posed a serious threat to the sustainability of cotton production in major cotton producing countries like India, China, and Pakistan. The renaissance of the pink bollworm on Bt cotton bears significant ecological and economic consequences for cotton cultivation. The pink bollworm is more than just a minute insect; it's a metaphor for the evolving challenges that agriculture faces in the modern world. As this pest adeptly adapts to changing environmental conditions and cropping patterns, our response to tackle the challenges posed by this pest must be equally nimble and informed.
The objective of this thematic issue in Journal of Cotton Research is to seek manuscripts in research and reviews that embark on a journey that traverses the realm of technological advancements in the cotton pink bollworm management at the global level, unraveling the complexities of this tiny devastating pest.
Topics include but are not limited to the following:
• Current status of Bt resistance in cotton pink bollworm and its implications for cotton cultivation at global and regional level
• Understanding the molecular/genetic basis of resistance to Bt toxins in pink bollworm, the challenges and way forward
• Ecological approaches to pink bollworm management, bioecology, agronomic measures, varietal improvement, off season survival, decision making tools/models/economic thresholds, yield loss assessment
• Advances in chemical, biological, and behavioral approaches for pink bollworm management
• Containment/Quarantine measures to check the spread of pink bollworm
• Recent trends in regional and global IPM initiatives and their replicability potential to other areas for pink bollworm management, e.g., mating disruption, sterile insect technique
• Innovative extension and communication methods for technology dissemination in cotton production and protection