Spray-Induced Gene Silencing: a Powerful Innovative Strategy for Crop Protection

Ming Wang; Hailing Jin

doi:10.1016/j.tim.2016.11.011

Spray-Induced Gene Silencing: a Powerful Innovative Strategy for Crop Protection

Trends Microbiol. 2017 Jan;25(1):4-6. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2016.11.011. Epub 2016 Dec 4.

Authors

Ming Wang¹, Hailing Jin²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Plant Pathology & Microbiology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0122, USA.
² Department of Plant Pathology & Microbiology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0122, USA. Electronic address: hailing.jin@ucr.edu.

Abstract

Plant pathogens cause serious crop losses worldwide. Recent new studies demonstrate that spraying double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) and small RNAs (sRNAs) that target essential pathogen genes on plant surfaces confer efficient crop protection. This so-called spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) strategy of disease control is potentially sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Keywords: RNA interference (RNAi); RNA-based fungicide; Spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS); small RNAs.

Publication types

Comment

MeSH terms

Arabidopsis / microbiology
Crop Protection / methods*
Fusarium / genetics*
Fusarium / growth & development
Hordeum / microbiology
Plant Diseases / prevention & control*
RNA Interference*
RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
Sterol 14-Demethylase / genetics*

Substances

RNA, Small Interfering
Sterol 14-Demethylase

Grants and funding

R01 GM093008/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States