Insect pest control in crop production incurs substantial economic costs annually on a global scale. Although broad-spectrum chemical pesticides were once considered the most effective solution, their overreliance has led to adverse effects on beneficial insects, human health, and the environment, as well as the development of pesticide-resistant insect populations. Consequently, there is an urgent need for alternative pest ma...

Key message Crop wild relatives provide essential genetic diversity for improving crop resilience; however, pre- and post-zygotic barriers often restrict interspecific hybridization. Recent approaches enable their effective use in crop improvement programs. Abstract Crop wild relatives (CWR), closely related wild taxa of cultivated crops, offer a wealth of genetic diversity essential for developing traits to help crops adapt t...