Crop protection by RNA interference: a review of recent approaches, current state of developments and use as of 2013

Abstract RNAi-based applications aim to inhibit the expression of specific essential genes in target organisms by uptake and processing of double-stranded RNA and subsequent degradation of target gene mRNA. While the research on RNAi-based pesticides was initially limited to endogenous applications...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kirsten Germing, Cecilia Andrea Díaz Navarrete, Andreas Schiermeyer, Udo Hommen, Luise Zühl, Sebastian Eilebrecht, Elke Eilebrecht
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-01-01
Series:Environmental Sciences Europe
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-025-01052-6
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832586027077730304
author Kirsten Germing
Cecilia Andrea Díaz Navarrete
Andreas Schiermeyer
Udo Hommen
Luise Zühl
Sebastian Eilebrecht
Elke Eilebrecht
author_facet Kirsten Germing
Cecilia Andrea Díaz Navarrete
Andreas Schiermeyer
Udo Hommen
Luise Zühl
Sebastian Eilebrecht
Elke Eilebrecht
author_sort Kirsten Germing
collection DOAJ
description Abstract RNAi-based applications aim to inhibit the expression of specific essential genes in target organisms by uptake and processing of double-stranded RNA and subsequent degradation of target gene mRNA. While the research on RNAi-based pesticides was initially limited to endogenous applications (i.e., production of the dsRNA by the crop), the development of technologies for exogenous applications like RNAi sprays in particular has increased in recent years. Due to the assumed beneficial properties of RNA molecules, such as degradability or target specificity, RNAi technology receives increasing attention in the development of plant protection products, as evidenced by a steadily increasing number of publications. A horizon scan was conducted with a specific emphasis to identify and illustrate the current state of RNAi developments and applications in crop protection as well as their biomanufacturing readiness levels. In this study, more than 180 publications were evaluated. Furthermore, we identified 268 patent families on this topic. A large variety with regard to treated crops, targeted pest species and target gene functions as well as application types was observed. In total, RNAi applications for more than 30 different pest species were identified, most of which belonged to the insect orders Lepidoptera, Hemiptera and Coleoptera. In addition, applications targeting fungi and viruses were found. RNAi applications were identified to be an upcoming topic in crop protection and, therefore, are becoming increasingly relevant for environmental risk assessment, due to the high number of targeted pest species as well as the variety of novel application types. With this review, we inform future work aimed to develop further adequate concepts and methods for environmental risk assessment of RNAi-based applications.
format Article
id doaj-art-eafde7993ebf4a8f912f29abea2688d8
institution Kabale University
issn 2190-4715
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher SpringerOpen
record_format Article
series Environmental Sciences Europe
spelling doaj-art-eafde7993ebf4a8f912f29abea2688d82025-01-26T12:20:00ZengSpringerOpenEnvironmental Sciences Europe2190-47152025-01-0137111710.1186/s12302-025-01052-6Crop protection by RNA interference: a review of recent approaches, current state of developments and use as of 2013Kirsten Germing0Cecilia Andrea Díaz Navarrete1Andreas Schiermeyer2Udo Hommen3Luise Zühl4Sebastian Eilebrecht5Elke Eilebrecht6Department Ecotoxicology, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMEDepartment Ecotoxicology, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMEDepartment Plant Biotechnology, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMEDepartment Modelling and Bioinformatics, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMESynthetic Biology Assessment, Division I 2.6, Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), Enforcement of Genetic Engineering ActDepartment Ecotoxicogenomics, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMEDepartment Ecotoxicology, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMEAbstract RNAi-based applications aim to inhibit the expression of specific essential genes in target organisms by uptake and processing of double-stranded RNA and subsequent degradation of target gene mRNA. While the research on RNAi-based pesticides was initially limited to endogenous applications (i.e., production of the dsRNA by the crop), the development of technologies for exogenous applications like RNAi sprays in particular has increased in recent years. Due to the assumed beneficial properties of RNA molecules, such as degradability or target specificity, RNAi technology receives increasing attention in the development of plant protection products, as evidenced by a steadily increasing number of publications. A horizon scan was conducted with a specific emphasis to identify and illustrate the current state of RNAi developments and applications in crop protection as well as their biomanufacturing readiness levels. In this study, more than 180 publications were evaluated. Furthermore, we identified 268 patent families on this topic. A large variety with regard to treated crops, targeted pest species and target gene functions as well as application types was observed. In total, RNAi applications for more than 30 different pest species were identified, most of which belonged to the insect orders Lepidoptera, Hemiptera and Coleoptera. In addition, applications targeting fungi and viruses were found. RNAi applications were identified to be an upcoming topic in crop protection and, therefore, are becoming increasingly relevant for environmental risk assessment, due to the high number of targeted pest species as well as the variety of novel application types. With this review, we inform future work aimed to develop further adequate concepts and methods for environmental risk assessment of RNAi-based applications.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-025-01052-6RNA interferenceCrop protectionSIGSHIGSEnvironmental risk assessment
spellingShingle Kirsten Germing
Cecilia Andrea Díaz Navarrete
Andreas Schiermeyer
Udo Hommen
Luise Zühl
Sebastian Eilebrecht
Elke Eilebrecht
Crop protection by RNA interference: a review of recent approaches, current state of developments and use as of 2013
Environmental Sciences Europe
RNA interference
Crop protection
SIGS
HIGS
Environmental risk assessment
title Crop protection by RNA interference: a review of recent approaches, current state of developments and use as of 2013
title_full Crop protection by RNA interference: a review of recent approaches, current state of developments and use as of 2013
title_fullStr Crop protection by RNA interference: a review of recent approaches, current state of developments and use as of 2013
title_full_unstemmed Crop protection by RNA interference: a review of recent approaches, current state of developments and use as of 2013
title_short Crop protection by RNA interference: a review of recent approaches, current state of developments and use as of 2013
title_sort crop protection by rna interference a review of recent approaches current state of developments and use as of 2013
topic RNA interference
Crop protection
SIGS
HIGS
Environmental risk assessment
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-025-01052-6
work_keys_str_mv AT kirstengerming cropprotectionbyrnainterferenceareviewofrecentapproachescurrentstateofdevelopmentsanduseasof2013
AT ceciliaandreadiaznavarrete cropprotectionbyrnainterferenceareviewofrecentapproachescurrentstateofdevelopmentsanduseasof2013
AT andreasschiermeyer cropprotectionbyrnainterferenceareviewofrecentapproachescurrentstateofdevelopmentsanduseasof2013
AT udohommen cropprotectionbyrnainterferenceareviewofrecentapproachescurrentstateofdevelopmentsanduseasof2013
AT luisezuhl cropprotectionbyrnainterferenceareviewofrecentapproachescurrentstateofdevelopmentsanduseasof2013
AT sebastianeilebrecht cropprotectionbyrnainterferenceareviewofrecentapproachescurrentstateofdevelopmentsanduseasof2013
AT elkeeilebrecht cropprotectionbyrnainterferenceareviewofrecentapproachescurrentstateofdevelopmentsanduseasof2013