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REVIEW article

Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Biotechnology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1502015
This article is part of the Research Topic Plant Molecular Farming for Biopharmaceutical Production and Beyond View all 3 articles

Leveraging RNA interference technology for selective and sustainable crop protection

Provisionally accepted
Hongyue Qi Hongyue Qi 1Dandan Zhang Dandan Zhang 1,2Jie-Yin Chen Jie-Yin Chen 1,2Dongfei Han Dongfei Han 3,4*Dan Wang Dan Wang 5*Binhui Liu Binhui Liu 6
  • 1 State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection (CAAS), Beijing, China
  • 2 Center for Western Agricultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Changji, China
  • 3 State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, beijing, China
  • 4 School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
  • 5 School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
  • 6 Institute of Dry land Farming, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Hengshui, Hebei Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) has emerged as key player in gene silencing for the past two decades. Tailor-made dsRNA is now recognized a versatile raw material, suitable for a wide range of applications in biopesticide formulations, including insect control to pesticide resistance management. The mechanism of RNA interference (RNAi) acts at the messenger RNA (mRNA) level, utilizing a sequence-dependent approach that makes it unique in term of effectiveness and specificity compared to conventional agrochemicals. Two primary categories of small RNAs, known as short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), function in both somatic and germline lineages in a broad range of eukaryotic species to regulate endogenous genes and to defend the genome from invasive nucleic acids. Furthermore, the application of RNAi in crop protection can be achieved by employing plant-incorporated protectants through plant transformation, but also by non-transformative strategies such as the use of formulations of sprayable RNAs as direct control agents, resistance factor repressors or developmental disruptors. This review explores the agricultural applications of RNAi, delving into its successes in pest-insect control and considering its broader potential for managing plant pathogens, nematodes, and pests. Additionally, the use of RNAi as a tool for addressing pesticide-resistant weeds and insects is reviewed, along with an evaluation of production costs and environmental implications.

    Keywords: small interfering RNA1, microRNA2, gene silencing3, Crop protection4, RNA interference5

    Received: 26 Sep 2024; Accepted: 27 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Qi, Zhang, Chen, Han, Wang and Liu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Dongfei Han, State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, beijing, China
    Dan Wang, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Agriculture & Forestry University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.