RNAi‐mediated plant protection against aphids

Aphids (Aphididae) are major agricultural pests that cause significant yield losses of crop plants each year by inflicting damage both through the direct effects of feeding and by vectoring harmful plant viruses. Expression of double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) directed against suitable insect target genes in transgenic plants has been shown to give protection against pests through plant‐mediated RNA interference (RNAi). Thus, as a potential alternative and effective strategy for insect pest management in agricultural practice, plant‐mediated RNAi for aphid control has received close attention in recent years. In this review, the mechanism of RNAi in insects and the so far explored effective RNAi target genes in aphids, their potential applications in the development of transgenic plants for aphid control and the major challenges in this regard are reviewed, and the future prospects of using plant‐mediated RNAi for aphid control are discussed. This review is intended to be a helpful insight into the generation of aphid‐resistant plants through plant‐mediated RNAi strategy. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry     

我国作物病虫害生物防治研究与应用最新进展

本文总结了近5年来我国在作物病虫害生物防治研究和应用方面的最新进展, 包括作物害虫、病害(真菌、细菌和病毒病)和线虫的生物防治、植物免疫和昆虫性信息素的研究和应用, 以及新方法和新技术在作物病虫控制中的应用。同时, 与国外的研究进展进行了比较, 指出了存在的主要问题、发展趋势与对策建议。     

RNA沉默转基因技术在植物抗病虫害研究中的作用

RNA沉默技术由于其简便、高效及高特异性在各种模式和非模式生物系统中得到了广泛的应用。植物转基因技术是将植物、动物或微生物中分离到的目的基因,通过各种手段整合到植物基因组上,使其稳定遗传并赋予植物新的优良性状的生物技术。RNA沉默在植物转基因工程领域的研究十分广泛,目前已经成功研究培育出许多抗病毒、抗虫转基因植物,为农业病虫害的防控提供了新的思路和方法。本文重点综述了近年来植物转基因介导RNA沉默在抗虫与抗病毒研究方面的进展,加深人们对转基因植物抗虫与抗病毒研究的认识。     

Induced plant defences in biological control of arthropod pests: a double‐edged sword

Biological control is an important ecosystem service delivered by natural enemies. Together with breeding for plant defence, it constitutes one of the most promising alternatives to pesticides for controlling herbivores in sustainable crop production. Especially induced plant defences may be promising targets in plant breeding for resistance against arthropod pests. Because they are activated upon herbivore damage, costs are only incurred when defence is needed. Moreover, they can be more specific than constitutive defences. Nevertheless, inducible defence traits that are harming plant pest organisms may interfere with biological control agents, such as predators and parasitoids. Despite the vast fundamental knowledge on plant defence mechanisms and their effects on natural enemies, our understanding of the feasibility of combining biological control with induced plant defence in practice is relatively poor. In this review, we focus on arthropod pest control and present the most important features of biological control with natural enemies and of induced plant defence. Furthermore, we show potential synergies and conflicts among them and, finally, identify gaps and list opportunities for their combined use in crop protection. We suggest that breeders should focus on inducible resistance traits that are compatible with the natural enemies of arthropod pests, specifically traits that help communities of natural enemies to build up. © 2017 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

RNA干扰及其在水稻抗病毒基因工程中的应用

RNA干扰(RNA interference,RNAi)是一种基因沉默机制。RNAi作为新兴的基因阻断技术具有明显的优势,已被广泛应用到动植物功能基因组和植物抗病研究中。在抗病毒研究中,人为地将与病毒或宿主基因同源的双链RNA分子导入转基因植株,引起与其同源的基因发生沉默,达到抗病毒的作用。本文主要综述了RNA干扰的相关知识以及在水稻抗病毒基因工程研究中的应用进展。     

Insect pests and their management in yam production and storage: a world review

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a tropical tuber crop produced for food and medicinal purposes. Yams are infested by a broad taxonomic diversity of insect pests. We reviewed a total of 73 insect species associated with Dioscorea species in different parts of the world. Yam is infested by 48 species when the crop is in the field, and after harvest (i.e. in storage) the tubers are attacked by 27 species. The majority of these insects belong to the order Coleoptera (35 species) followed by the orders Hemiptera (15), Lepidoptera (13), Isoptera (5), Hymenoptera (2), Diptera (1), and Thysanoptera (1). Yam scales, mealybugs, and a few beetles cause significant losses to tubers both in the field and in storage. We review various methods of management for these insect pests. An integrated approach towards managing these pests, both in the field and in storage, is essential. Post-harvest losses in storage of yam can be reduced, partly, by using biocontrol agents for mealybugs and scales. Alternative strategies for the management of insect pests of tubers in storage are discussed.     

Ingested RNA interference for managing the populations of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata

BACKGROUND: RNA interference (RNAi) is a breakthrough technology for conducting functional genomics studies and also as a potential tool for crop protection against insect pests. The major challenge for efficient pest control using RNAi in the field is the development of efficient and reliable methods for production and delivery of double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA). In this paper, the potential of feeding dsRNA expressed in bacteria or synthesized in vitro to manage populations of Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) (CPB), was investigated. RESULTS: Feeding RNAi successfully triggered the silencing of all five target genes tested and caused significant mortality and reduced body weight gain in the treated beetles. This study provides the first example of an effective RNAi response in insects after feeding dsRNA produced in bacteria. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the efficient induction of RNAi using bacteria to deliver dsRNA is a possible method for management of CPB. This could be also a promising bioassay approach for genome‐wide screens to identify effective target genes for use as novel RNAi‐based insecticides. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Crossover between the control of fungal pathogens in medicine and the wider environment,and the threat of antifungal resistance

Fungal propagules existing in the natural environment can easily be transmitted to the human body, mostly by inhalation of contaminated air or direct contact onto the skin, nails, and mucosa. Fungal infections in humans are, as compared to viral and bacterial infections, rarely serious (life-threatening) unless the immune system is weakened. Because azole fungicides (demethylation inhibitors, DMIs) are among the most important antifungal compounds used broadly in human and animal medicine as well as in agriculture and material protection, fungal propagules may come into contact with azoles almost everywhere, presenting a potential “crossover-use-pattern” and “cross-contamination-risk” for resistant propagules in all areas. A “hot-spot” in terms of the emergence of azole resistance in a fungal species is defined as a habitat in which the species is actively propagating and exposed to a fungicidally effective azole at available concentrations high enough to select for resistant individuals, potentially multiplying and spreading to other habitats. Intrinsic antifungal resistance may exist in less sensitive or insensitive species independent of previous exposure to antifungal compounds, whereas acquired antifungal resistance can evolve if triggered by the exposure of an originally sensitive species (or population) to agricultural or medical antifungal agents, resulting in the selection of resistant individuals. The origin and risks of these developments in medical settings and the wider environment are elucidated for the most relevant life-threatening fungal human pathogens, including several species of Cryptococcus, Candida, Pneumocystis, Aspergillus, Histoplasma, Coccidioides, Rhizopus, Mucor, Fusarium, and Scedosporium.     

Plant training for induced defense against insect pests: a promising tool for integrated pest management in cotton

Enhancing cotton pest management using plant natural defenses has been described as a promising way to improve the management of crop pests. We here reviewed various studies on cotton growing systems to illustrate how an ancient technique called plant training, which includes plant topping and pruning, may contribute to this goal. Using examples from cotton crops, we show how trained plants can be brought to a state of enhanced defense that causes faster and more robust activation of their defense responses. We revisit the agricultural benefits associated with this technique in cotton crops, with a focus on its potential as a supplementary tool for integrated pest management (IPM). In particular, we examine its role in mediating plant interactions with conspecific neighboring plants, pests and associated natural enemies. We propose a new IPM tool, plant training for induced defense, which involves inducing plant defense through artificial injury. Experimental evidence from various studies shows that cotton training is a promising technique, particularly for smallholders, which can be used as part of an IPM program to significantly reduce insecticide use and to improve productivity in cotton farming. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry     

Towards dsRNA-integrated protection of medical Cannabis crops: considering human safety,recent- and developing RNAi methods,and research inroads

Owing to the expanding industry of medical Cannabis, we discuss recent milestones in RNA interference (RNAi)-based crop protection research and development that are transferable to medical Cannabis cultivation. Recent and prospective increases in pest pressure in both indoor and outdoor Cannabis production systems, and the need for effective nonchemical pest control technologies (particularly crucial in the context of cultivating plants for medical purposes), are discussed. We support the idea that developing RNAi tactics towards protection of medical Cannabis could play a major role in maximizing success in this continuously expanding industry. However, there remain critical knowledge gaps, especially with regard to RNA pesticide biosafety from a human toxicological viewpoint, as a result of the medical context of Cannabis product use. Furthermore, efforts are needed to optimize transformation and micropropagation of Cannabis plants, examine cutting edge RNAi techniques for various Cannabis–pest scenarios, and investigate the combined application of RNAi- and biological control tactics in medical Cannabis cultivation. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Identifying obstacles and ranking common biological control research priorities for Europe to manage most economically important pests in arable,vegetable and perennial crops

EU agriculture is currently in transition from conventional crop protection to integrated pest management (IPM). Because biocontrol is a key component of IPM, many European countries recently have intensified their national efforts on biocontrol research and innovation (R&I), although such initiatives are often fragmented. The operational outputs of national efforts would benefit from closer collaboration among stakeholders via transnationally coordinated approaches, as most economically important pests are similar across Europe. This paper proposes a common European framework on biocontrol R&I. It identifies generic R&I bottlenecks and needs as well as priorities for three crop types (arable, vegetable and perennial crops). The existing gap between the market offers of biocontrol solutions and the demand of growers, the lengthy and expensive registration process for biocontrol solutions and their varying effectiveness due to variable climatic conditions and site‐specific factors across Europe are key obstacles hindering the development and adoption of biocontrol solutions in Europe. Considering arable, vegetable and perennial crops, a dozen common target pests are identified for each type of crop and ranked by order of importance at European level. Such a ranked list indicates numerous topics on which future joint transnational efforts would be justified. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry