Advances in exogenous RNA delivery techniques for RNAi-mediated pest control.

ABSTRACT

Climate change imposes a great threat to world food security and encourages insect pest proliferation and spreading. Because of these challenges, identifying novel biotechnology pest management and its applications is inevitable. RNA interference (RNAi) is a gene regulatory process used for the maintenance and regulation of host defences against invading viruses. Nevertheless, it is widely used for the analysis of gene function. In recent years, the potential use of RNA interference (RNAi) as a tool for manipulating crop traits, as well as an alternative for crop protection, has undergone outstanding developments. In this review, we describe some genes involved in insect dsRNA uptake and discuss the reasons for varying RNAi response in insect pests, emphasizing the presence of nucleases and double-stranded RNA binding protein. We explore recent breakthroughs in innovative dsRNA delivery for efficient and effective knockdown in insect pests. Conclusively, topical delivery of dsRNA combined with a nanoparticle complex holds great potential for RNAi-mediated pest control.