Application of RNA Interference (RNAi) in Agricultural Pest Management

Dear Colleagues,

RNA interference (RNAi) technology represents a promising solution for managing outbreaks of pests and pathogens in various agricultural systems. Such approaches (including but not limited to transgenic and spray approaches) may furthermore help minimize reductions in non-target organism populations, with these reductions being a key aim in environmentally sustainable agriculture. However, while considerable advances have been made regarding this crop protection technology, numerous hurdles (biological, technical, social and legal) still stand in the way of its implementation on a wider scale.

The aim and scope of this Special Issue is to facilitate the dissemination of knowledge, data and ideas regarding how RNAi technology can be made more effective against agricultural pests and pathogens (e.g. invertebrates, vertebrates, fungi, weeds and viruses), and how RNAi approaches could push agriculture in a more environmentally sustainable direction. Furthermore, the Special Issue aims to address any other hurdles that prevent or slow progress towards developing such approaches.

We invite authors to submit original research (including short communications), as well as unique reviews and perspectives, that contribute to the evolution and broadening of RNAi’s place in agriculture.

Sub-topics that are especially welcome include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Enhancing efficacy in otherwise RNAi-insensitive pests and pathogens;
• Formulation development for enhancing dsRNA stability in vivo, under environmental conditions, and in soils and waters;
• RNAi within integrated pest management (IPM) strategies;
• Greenhouse, semi-field or field studies;
• Socioeconomic aspects related to the implementation of RNAi approaches;
• Ecotoxicology, risk assessment and biosafety;
• RNAi’s role in biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes;
• dsRNA seed treatments;
• Novel molecular targets in agricultural pests and pathogens.

Dr. Jonathan Willow
Dr. Thais B. Rodrigues
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• RNA pesticide formulation
• dsRNA stability
• integrated pest management
• greenhouse
• semi-field
• seed treatment
• biodiversity conservation
• ecotoxicology
• risk assessment
• molecular target