Eavesdropping the pivotal defensive representatives of plant-thrips interaction

The substantial economic impact of thrips on crop yield and productivity enthused us to review comprehensive research findings associated with plant-thrips interaction. An attempt has been made to summarize a broad spectrum of knowledge on thrips infestation in different crops regarding defensive traits including plant morphological features, biochemical alterations and transcriptional profiling of defensive genes along with effective thrips management strategies. Thrips feeding mechanism involves puncturing the outer (epidermal) layer of host tissue and evoking the plant defence mechanism. Plants respond to thrips attacks by activating the defensive genes, which lead to the production of physical barriers (trichomes, waxes, and papillae) and biochemical compounds (primary and secondary metabolites). It is imperative to appreciate the physiological responses, metabolic changes, and regulation at the transcriptional level of various phytoconstituents during thrips feeding. The literature survey revealed that leaf size, papillae and trichome density, total phenols, tannins and genes associated with phenylalanine metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis contribute to plant resistance against thrips infestation. Thus, this comprehensive overview will serve as a roadmap for researchers, guiding future studies and the development of sustainable pest management practices to mitigate thrips-related damage and enhance crop resilience.