Sterile insect technique and inherited sterility are older methods through which insect-pests are used to be genetically modified without using biotechnological tools. Using biotechnology to modify genetic constitution of insect-pests in order to manage them is getting importance and popular now. Scientists are modifying insect-pests by inserting desired transgenes and use them to fight against their own wild counterparts to reduce their damage to agricultural crops as well as human beings which is called bio-objectification. A technique of bio-objectification, release of insects carrying a dominant lethal gene (RIDL) is being experimented and evaluated worldwide on different insect-pests to reduce their population and eventually damage. OX513A is a genetically modified strain of dengue mosquito which had successfully reduced wild mosquito population in open environment. Likewise, in agriculture, transgenic strains of diamondback moth, OX4319L and pink boll worm, OX3402C have also showed significantly appreciable results on controlling their wild insect population.

Potatoes are subject to plentiful abiotic (e.g. temperature and moisture) and biotic (plant diseases and pests) perils that affect the crop's production sustainability and yield. Besides direct yield reduction, pests indirectly affect yield by the transmission of viral diseases. Virus infection was recognized as the cause in the early twentieth century. Viral diseases such as Potato virus Y (PVY) (family Potyviridae, genus Potyvirus) and Potato leafroll virus (PLRV) (family Luteoviridae, genus Polerovirus) that infect cultivated potatoes and are both chief causes of low yield. PLRV has positive sense, ssRNA as its genome.

Background: The virus-distribution and bimodal seed transmission of BCMV in green gram was studied. The Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) infecting leguminous crops have been found to be the most devastating Potyvirus as they cause considerable yield loss. Emergence of symptom in the first trifoliate leaf stage of the plants under the natural condition confirms that the virus may be seed borne, which has been investigated in the present study. Methods: The distribution of the virus in various parts of the seeds of mung bean (Vigna radiata) plants naturally infected in the field was determined by ELISA, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Result: Nucleotide sequencing of the PCR amplicons from the seed parts from groups of ten seeds revealed the presence of Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) in the seed coat, cotyledon and embryonic axes. The grow out test performed with the same batch of seeds, there was symptom development after 3 weeks of sowing and the presence of virus was detected in all the seedlings through ELISA test. RT-PCR amplification of viral cDNA from whole seed, seed coat, cotyledons and embryo generated an amplicon of ~1300 with BCMV coat protein gene specific primer. The genomic sequence (GenBank accession No. ON944468) showed highest nucleotide identity of 90-91% sequence similarities with NL-1 strain (KF114860.1) and 94% sequence similarities with MY15-014 strain (MW079241.1) of previously available BCMV- CP virus gene sequence.

Zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) produced was evaluated against Alternaria burnsii to see the inhibitory result of the ZnNPs on the growth of fungal mycelium. Physical characterization of synthesized ZnNPs was 68.04 nm in size, Pdi- 0.263, Keps-252.4. Among the twelve treatments, the best treatment was synthesized ZnNPs with concentration (750 ppm) evidenced most in effect with 86.17 per cent mycelial growth is inhibited. The next treatment was synthesized ZnNPs with concentration (250 ppm) giving 79.26 per cent growth inhibition. Followed by treatment commercial ZnNPs with concentration (1000 ppm) giving 53.46 per cent growth inhibition. The next effective treatment was commercial ZnNPs with concentration (500 ppm) giving 44.69 per cent growth inhibition. Followed by treatment of carbendazim 50 WP with concentration (500 ppm) giving 11.51 per cent growth inhibition. The least effective treatment was commercial ZnNPs with concentration (100 ppm) giving 3.22 per cent growth inhibition. There is directly proportional relationship between increased concentration of the ZnNPs and inhibition of per cent mycelial growth of the pathogen is directly proportional. Further, methylene blue staining was done and the physical changes were studied. The hyphae lost their softness, bulges out followed by reduction in the distance between two hyphae. Branched conidia turned round and conidial development was suppressed. On the basis of this result it can be concluded that ZnNPs inhibited the fungal growth by causing physical damage to the fungal mycelium.

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