February 2025
By: Alejandro Hernández
Biotechnology Manager Central America and Caribbean
ahernandez@croplifela.org
The scientific journal Science celebrated a 2024 groundbreaking innovation: RNA interference (RNAi)-based pesticides. These cutting-edge solutions offer a safer, more targeted way to control pests without harming the environment or other organisms[1].
What Are RNA-Based Pesticides?
Imagine a pest-control system so precise it acts like a "custom key" to lock down pests' essential functions—without affecting anything else. RNAi pesticides achieve this by using a molecule called double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). When sprayed onto plants, this RNA interferes with a pest’s ability to produce a critical protein, effectively stopping them in their tracks.[2]
One of the first commercial RNAi pesticides, Leptrona, targets the Colorado potato beetle—a pest notorious for devouring potato plants and resisting traditional insecticides[3]. By temporarily silencing a specific gene (needed to produce the protein PSMB5), Leptrona incapacitates the beetle without harming other insects, plants, or animals.
Why Is This Technology Important?
RNAi pesticides bring many advantages [4],[5],[6]:
- Precision: They only affect the targeted pest species.
- Environmental Safety: They break down quickly in the environment, leaving no harmful residues.
- Compatibility: They can be used alongside other biological or chemical pest-control methods.
- Cost Efficiency: Advances in technology have reduced production costs to less than $1 per gram, making them more accessible for widespread use.
Future Potential
Beyond insect control, RNA technology has the potential to manage other agricultural threats. For example, GreenLight Bioscience, the company behind Leptrona, is developing a similar product to protect honeybee populations from the destructive ácaro varroa mite.
A Proven Concept
RNA interference technology isn't entirely new—it has already transformed biotechnology. Genetically modified papayas in Hawaii resist harmful viruses using this technology[7],[8]; Brazilian beans are engineered to combat the mosaic virus[9]; corn to resist the western corn rootworm (WCR) (Diabrotica virgifera) [10],[11]; and apples to non-brown[12],[13]; low gossypol cotton TAM-66274-5[14]. Now, RNAi is being used as a spray pesticide, providing farmers with a powerful new tool for sustainable agriculture.
Recognized Excellence
In 2024, the Nobel Prize in Medicine honored the discovery of microRNAs[15], which paved the way for RNAi applications. This recognition highlights the transformative impact of this technology, not just in agriculture but in science as a whole.
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Conclusion
RNAi-based pesticides like Leptrona represent a promising step toward safer, more effective, and environmentally friendly pest control. With their precision and versatility, they could redefine the future of farming, providing sustainable solutions for decades to come.
[1] Stokstad, E. (2024). Insecticides made of RNA could offer a safer and more targeted weapon against crop pests. Science, 384, 4. Doi:10.1126/science.adr2991
[2] Stokstad, E. (2024). Insecticides made of RNA could offer a safer and more targeted weapon against crop pests. Science, 384, 4. Doi:10.1126/science.adr2991
[3] https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/epa-registers-novel-pesticide-technology-potato-crops
[4] Stokstad, E. (2024). Insecticides made of RNA could offer a safer and more targeted weapon against crop pests. Science, 384, 4. Doi:10.1126/science.adr2991
[5] https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/epa-registers-novel-pesticide-technology-potato-crops
[6] Hernández-Soto, A.; Chacón-Cerdas, R. RNAi Crop Protection Advances. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22, 12148. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222212148
[7] Gonsalves D. Control of papaya ringspot virus in papaya: a case study. Annu Rev Phytopathol. 1998;36:415-37. doi: 10.1146/annurev.phyto.36.1.415. PMID: 15012507.
[8] Garland S, Curry HA. Turning promise into practice: Crop biotechnology for increasing genetic diversity and climate resilience. PLoS Biol. 2022 Jul 26;20(7):e3001716. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001716. PMID: 35881573; PMCID: PMC9321377
[9] Bonfim K, Faria JC, Nogueira EO, Mendes EA, Aragão FJ. RNAi-mediated resistance to Bean golden mosaic virus in genetically engineered common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Mol Plant Microbe Interact. 2007 Jun;20(6):717-26. doi: 10.1094/MPMI-20-6-0717. PMID: 17555279.
[10] https://www.cropscience.bayer.us/articles/bayer/rnai-work-in-smartstax-pro
[11] https://www.cropscience.bayer.us/traits/corn/vt4pro
[13] https://inspection.canada.ca/en/plant-varieties/plants-novel-traits/general-public/questions-and-answers-arctic-apple
[14] https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/17_29201p_fea.pdf
[15] https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2024/press-release/
