Advances of RNAi Technology in Plant Protection

Dear Colleagues,

The term ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) is used to describe gene silencing at the mRNA level guided by small complementary non-coding RNA species. RNAi is a highly sequence-specific posttranscriptional level mechanism, in which a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) trigger is used to silence gene expression. RNAi, which was initially discovered in Caenorhabditis elegans, is a powerful strategy to regulate the expression of targeted genes. It is an ancient mechanism used by lower organisms for silencing foreign genetic materials and the precise regulation of endogenous genes during growth and development. Briefly, dsRNA recognizes the complimentary mRNA, binds to it, cleaves it, and degrades it to inhibit protein translation. RNAi can occur both by endogenous and exogenous small RNAs viz. siRNA, miRNA, shRNA, and tncRNA. The discovery of RNAi has not only opened new avenues to study the gene functions in various species of organisms but also been harnessed as a useful tool in devising novel insect pest management strategies for various pests. RNAi technology is a versatile, effective, safe, and eco-friendly alternative for plant protection. Since then, many RNAi studies have been reported, and there is plenty of evidence of its use through host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) and emerging evidence that spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) techniques can work as well to control insects, fungi, nematodes, viruses, and bacteria.

Production of agriculture has been continuously affected by several factors, such as biotic and abiotic factors, since the beginning of farming. All these factors are responsible for the considerable damage to potential agricultural production that ultimately results in yield losses and product quality deterioration. In this regard, various advanced technologies such as RNAi are essential for addressing the above-mentioned factors in crop production, which can increase crop yield. This Special Issue will gather more innovative papers on various aspects of RNA interference research from different domains that helps in plant protection.

Dr. Rebijith K. Balan
Guest Editor

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• RNA interference
• gene silencing
• dsRNA
• siRNA
• miRNA
• HIGS
• SIGS
• small RNAs
• plant protection
• pest and disease management