The challenge of RNAi-mediated control of hemipterans

Olivier Christiaens; Guy Smagghe

doi:10.1016/j.cois.2014.09.012

The challenge of RNAi-mediated control of hemipterans

Curr Opin Insect Sci. 2014 Dec:6:15-21. doi: 10.1016/j.cois.2014.09.012. Epub 2014 Sep 28.

Authors

Olivier Christiaens¹, Guy Smagghe²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
² Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: guy.smagghe@ugent.be.

PMID: 32846663
DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2014.09.012

Abstract

The post-transcriptional gene silencing mechanism RNA interference (RNAi) has potential as a crop protection strategy against important pest insects. Here we focus on Hemiptera pests, comprising some of the most devastating pest organisms as aphids, whiteflies, psyllids, bedbugs and kissing bugs. At first, a state-of-the-art overview is provided of the progress in RNAi in Hemiptera, as well as on the challenges when developing new RNAi-based pest control strategies against hemipteran pests, such as the delivery of dsRNA and degradation in the insect body. We also discuss the variability in RNAi efficiency as observed between species and experiments, and the factors potentially responsible for this phenomenon.

Publication types

Review