Trends in insecticide resistance in the Indo-Gangetic Plains

The Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP), spanning across India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh, represent a vast and fertile region that has long been the backbone of agriculture in South Asia. Encompassing an area of approximately 2.5 million square kilometres, this alluvial landscape is characterized by its diverse and dynamic cropping systems, which have evolved in response to unique climatic and soil conditions (Sinha and Tandon, 2014). The IGP support a large proportion of the global population, ranging from 9% to 14%, making it one of the most densely populated regions in the world. Moreover, IGP constitute the most important agricultural region in South Asia. Major agricultural crops grown in the area include rice, wheat, sugarcane, and a variety of vegetables and pulses, oilseeds, cotton etc. These crops are cultivated in intricate cropping patterns, often in rotation, to maximize land utilization and take advantage of the fertile soil and favourable climatic conditions and also satisfying the market demand. One of the most fertile alluvium in the world, IGP has witnessed the green revolution in India (Mishra et al., 2022). The green revolution, which was a transformative period in agriculture, has increased the crop productivity through the development of high yielding varieties. The use of fertilizers and pesticides has also played a crucial role in boosting crop yields.