Engineering insect resistance using plant specialized metabolites

Plants in nature are protected against insect herbivory by a wide variety of specialized metabolites. Although herbivores generally tolerate the defensive metabolites their preferred host plants, presence additional chemical defenses otherwise closely related plant species can nevertheless provide resistance. This resistance to be enhanced genetic engineering increase production endogenous metabolites, modify existing biochemical pathways, or move biosynthesis entirely new classes into recipient plants. However, current strategies limited insufficient knowledge biosynthetic pathways metabolism, unintended side-effects that result from redirecting inadequate transgene construction and delivery methods, requirements for tissue-specific enhance herbivore