Crop protection technologies using RNA interference - a proof-of-concept

利用 RNA 干扰的作物保护技术 - 概念验证

• 批准号: 462649-2014
• 负责人: Whyard, Steven
• 金额: $ 1.82万
• 依托单位: University of Manitoba
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Engage Grants Program
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2014-01-01 至 2015-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=557942
• 关键词: Crop; protection; technologies; using; RNA

Insects are often considered our most serious competitors for food and fiber, reducing crop yields by inflicting damage to plants, propagating plant pathogens, and causing decay in stored food, fiber, and wood products. It has been estimated that insects consume or damage between 10 and 20 % of the gross national products of most nations, despite our efforts to control the most noxious pests. Most of our control measures rely upon the use of broad-spectrum synthetic pesticides to control the pests. Unfortunately, these chemicals not only kill pests, but they also kill non-target beneficial insects, and can adversely affect other invertebrate and vertebrate species. The primary goal of this short-term research is to explore the possible use of RNA interference technology to develop species-specific crop protection methods. RNAi is a new technology that could revolutionize our approach to pest insect control, as it can selectively silence specific genes within the pests, but without affecting other species that do not share the exact gene sequences as the pests. As each species is defined by the uniqueness of its genetic code, this technology could be adapted to control many different pests in different cropping systems. In collaboration with our industrial partner, we aim to develop a new generation of pesticides that still effectively protects our crops from our most serious insect competitors, but does not harm the many beneficial, non-target species within and around our agriculture production zones. Plant protection from pests afforded by these technologies is expected to increase crop yields and reduce losses during storage, and consequently, increase profitability for Canada farmers and the agricultural industry. Canada is one of the largest agricultural producers and exporters in the world, and the development of environmentally-safer methods to controlling agricultural pests will not only place Canada among the leaders in the agricultural biotechnology sector, but will ensure that Canada's agricultural products are well accepted by all markets.

昆虫通常被认为是我们食物和纤维的最严重的竞争对手，通过对植物造成损害，繁殖植物病原体以及导致储存的食物，纤维和木制品腐烂来减少作物产量。据估计，尽管我们努力控制最有害的害虫，但昆虫消耗或破坏了大多数国家国民生产总值的10%至20%。我们大部分的防治措施，都是依靠使用广谱合成除害剂来控制害虫。不幸的是，这些化学品不仅杀死害虫，而且还杀死非目标益虫，并可能对其他无脊椎动物和脊椎动物物种产生不利影响。这项短期研究的主要目标是探索利用RNA干扰技术开发针对特定物种的作物保护方法的可能性。RNAi是一种新技术，可以彻底改变我们的害虫控制方法，因为它可以选择性地沉默害虫中的特定基因，但不会影响与害虫不共享确切基因序列的其他物种。由于每个物种都是由其遗传密码的独特性定义的，因此这项技术可以适用于控制不同种植系统中的许多不同害虫。通过与我们的工业合作伙伴合作，我们的目标是开发新一代杀虫剂，该杀虫剂仍然有效地保护我们的作物免受最严重的昆虫竞争对手的侵害，但不会伤害我们农业生产区内和周围的许多有益的非目标物种。这些技术提供的植物保护免受虫害，预计将增加作物产量，减少储存期间的损失，从而增加加拿大农民和农业的盈利能力。 加拿大是世界上最大的农业生产国和出口国之一，开发对环境更安全的农业害虫控制方法不仅将使加拿大成为农业生物技术领域的领导者，而且将确保加拿大的农产品被所有市场所接受。