Scientists are developing ways to breed crop plants like millet, sorghum, and pearl millet to increase their resistance to pests and diseases. Plants can naturally have resistance traits that make them less susceptible to damage from stresses outside. Scientists with INTSORMIL are cross-pollinating plants to transfer resistance genes and create new crop varieties that are more resistant and stable. Developing resistant crops is a more cost-effective way to control pests than applying pesticides. Studies show sorghum plants in West Africa were effectively resisting bugs and diseases through natural resistance traits.

1. Alia Conley<br />April 25, 2010<br />Brief #4- Resistance<br />FINAL<br />What is Plant Resistance?<br />Plants don’t grow in a test tube, with the correct amount of sunlight, water and nutrients with no pests to bother them. They grow in large quantities outside where damage and destruction can occur.<br />Outside problems do not affect the best, strongest plants because these plants have a special ability or resistance to these stressors1, the pests and disease who hurt the plants. <br />Like blonde hair or blue eyes, resistance is a trait that plants can have. INTSORMIL scientists are developing ways to breed plants so that they are more resistant to plant problems. Jeffrey Wilson, an INTSORMIL scientist from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, reports that plants can be resistant to many types of things. For example, millet can be resistant to pests such as nematodes and insects, and diseases, such as downy mildew and grain molds.<br />A highly resistant plant will allow little or no pests to attack the crops, while pests will freely attack a plant with no resistance gene.<br />Scientists create resistance in plants when two plants are cross-pollinated2, and traits from each plant are taken to create a new plant. In Wilson’s report, titled “Breeding Pearl Millet with Improved Stability, Performance and Resistance to Pests,” it says breeding “resistance provides a low-cost means of control.” Instead of creating a spray or medicine to put on plants to kill pests, scientists develop sorghum and millet plants that pests won’t affect. Creating a new plant with resistance is more efficient and cost-effective than treating old, bad crops. <br />Resistance works, which is why INTSORMIL scientists are eager to develop sorghum and millet plants with improved resistance to outside pests. Mitchell Tuinstra, an INTSORMIL scientist from Purdue University, wrote in his West Aftrican report that the sorghum plants were resisting bug and grains effectively. <br />Until all pests are eradicated or a giant dome is placed over crop fields, plants must always deal with pests, which is why resistance is important.<br />1See biotic and abiotic stresses. Page XX<br />2See cross-pollination. Page XX.<br />