RNA interference (RNAi) for sustainable aphid control
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is viewed as a more specific, safe and sustainable method for agricultural pest control, and is now tested in the fields against different pests in different countries. Aphids are one important future target among these pests that cause significant economic losses in major crops, mainly through virus transmission during their phloem feeding. Many potential genes for RNAi have been tested in aphids to develop management strategies, including genes involved in development, signal transduction, reproduction, metabolism, detoxification, immune system and transport proteins. Most RNAi treatments affect aphid development and population growth, thereby achieving the goal of aphid control. Different methods of RNAi delivery have also been used with varying degrees of success, including microinjection, soaking, oral feeding, plant-expressing dsRNA and nanocarrier-mediated delivery. This review will provide an overview of the target genes used for aphid RNAi, including their delivery methods developed in recent years. It will also highlight some of the remaining challenges, such as improving efficiency of RNAi and of delivery methods, and the key issue of the risk management of this new technology such as species specificity of the gene selected for RNAi, development of insect resistance and potential side effects on the environment and human health that this new technology could entail.
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BibTeX
@article{shi2026interference,
title = {{RNA interference (RNAi) for sustainable aphid control}},
author = {Meng-Zhu Shi and Jean‐luc Gatti and Sophie Tares and Nicolas Desneux and Jian-Yu Li},
journal = {Entomologia Generalis},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1127/entomologia/4381},
url = {https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05797144v1},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - RNA interference (RNAi) for sustainable aphid control
AU - Meng-Zhu Shi
AU - Jean‐luc Gatti
AU - Sophie Tares
AU - Nicolas Desneux
AU - Jian-Yu Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/08
JO - Entomologia Generalis
DO - 10.1127/entomologia/4381
UR - https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05797144v1
AB - RNA interference (RNAi) is viewed as a more specific, safe and sustainable method for agricultural pest control, and is now tested in the fields against different pests in different countries. Aphids are one important future target among these pests that cause significant economic losses in major crops, mainly through virus transmission during their phloem feeding. Many potential genes for RNAi have been tested in aphids to develop management strategies, including genes involved in development, signal transduction, reproduction, metabolism, detoxification, immune system and transport proteins. Most RNAi treatments affect aphid development and population growth, thereby achieving the goal of aphid control. Different methods of RNAi delivery have also been used with varying degrees of success, including microinjection, soaking, oral feeding, plant-expressing dsRNA and nanocarrier-mediated delivery. This review will provide an overview of the target genes used for aphid RNAi, including their delivery methods developed in recent years. It will also highlight some of the remaining challenges, such as improving efficiency of RNAi and of delivery methods, and the key issue of the risk management of this new technology such as species specificity of the gene selected for RNAi, development of insect resistance and potential side effects on the environment and human health that this new technology could entail.
SN - 0171-8177
ER -