Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the world’s most important cereal crops, serving as a major source of calories, protein and industrial raw materials. However, conventional white and yellow cultivars are frequently deficient in essential micronutrients and health-promoting phytochemicals, contributing to widespread micronutrient malnutrition and hidden hunger in maize-dependent populations. Coloured maize genotypes are characterised by purple, blue, red and orange kernels. These genotypes represent an underutilised reservoir of nutritional and genetic diversity, enriched in anthocyanins, carotenoids, phenolic acids and minerals with strong antioxidant and functional properties. This review synthesises current knowledge on the nutritional composition, biochemical diversity and health relevance of coloured maize, emphasising the molecular regulation of flavonoid and carotenoid biosynthesis pathways and the roles of key structural and regulatory genes controlling pigment accumulation. The importance of traditional landraces and germplasm conservation in maintaining allelic richness for nutritional traits is discussed alongside advances in phenotyping, near-infrared spectroscopy, molecular markers and marker-assisted breeding. Progress in quality protein maize, provitamin A biofortification and the development of anthocyanin-rich sweet corn illustrate the integration of metabolic genetics with applied breeding strategies. Collectively, coloured maize is represented as a multifunctional crop capable of enhancing dietary quality, supporting functional food development and contributing to sustainable agricultural systems. Harnessing its genetic variability through genomics-assisted selection and targeted pathway engineering offers a promising route toward nutritionally superior, climate-resilient maize cultivars that can contribute to future food and nutritional security.
C. Harinivash, V. Kumari, S. Sivakumar et al.· Plant Science Today· 0 citations
Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is one of the world’s most important fibre crops, yet its sustainability is increasingly challenged by evolving pest complexes, intensified pesticide use, climate change and climate variability. The evidence indicates current knowledge on pest dynamics, pesticide dependence and ecological interactions in cotton agroecosystems, highlighting the shift from bollworm-dominated pest complexes to the increasing prevalence of secondary pests following the widespread adoption of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton. Although Bt (Cry toxin)-based transgenic cotton technology initially reduced insecticide use against the bollworm complex, primarily lepidopteran species, the emergence of resistance among bollworms and the upsurge of certain sucking pests in recent decades have reinstated insecticide dependence for pest management. This has led to ecological imbalance, non-target toxicity, the decline of pollinator populations and natural enemy communities, biodiversity loss, environmental contamination, accumulation of residues in products and yield challenges, in addition to increased production costs. The review emphasises the critical role of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that integrate biological control, habitat diversification, resistant cultivars and threshold-based pesticide applications to restore ecological stability. Alternative approaches such as botanical pesticides, nanoformulations and plant volatile-mediated pest regulation are highlighted as promising tools for sustainable pest control. Advances in precision agriculture, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based pesticide delivery systems, have the potential to improve pest surveillance and reduce chemical inputs. Supply-chain procurement, certification, traceability and consumer demand can encourage lower-pesticide production, although these mechanisms require fair price incentives to avoid transferring compliance costs to smallholders. Sustainable cotton therefore requires region-specific, climate-resilient, evidence-based IPM supported by extension, market incentives, resistance monitoring and coordinated policy.
V. Veeragowtham, A. Suganthi, M. Murugan et al.· Plant Science Today· 0 citations
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