Plants and microbes trade genetic messages, opening doors to chemical-free crop protection
Deepali BLD, Huang C, Zhang W, Wang H, Wang Y
Plant Signaling
The gray mold that ruins strawberries and tomatoes in your backyard could one day be stopped by a spray of harmless RNA that only targets the fungus, leaving bees and soil life alone.
Plants and the microbes that attack them send each other small snippets of genetic material that can turn off specific genes in the other side. Researchers are borrowing this trick to make sprays and engineered plants that switch off key genes in a fungus or pest while leaving everything else untouched. The result could be disease control that leaves fewer chemical residues in soil and water.
Key Findings
Cross-kingdom RNA lets plants, fungi, bacteria and viruses exchange regulatory signals through RNA interference, shaping defense, metabolism and gene expression in the partner organism.
Three RNA-based crop protection approaches are covered: spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS), host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) and microbe-induced gene silencing (MIGS).
The review proposes using cross-kingdom RNAs as targets and MIGS as the delivery method for sustainable, lower-chemical crop protection.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Plants, fungi, bacteria and viruses swap tiny RNA messages that switch each other's genes on and off. Scientists are turning this into sprays and engineered plants that shut down crop diseases without conventional chemical pesticides.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Cross-kingdom RNA in plant-microbe interactions: from molecular interactions to next-generation crop protection.
Cross-kingdom RNA (CK-RNA) communication is an advanced concept that enhances our understanding of inter-kingdom interactions by uncovering RNA-mediated signaling among plants, fungi, bacteria, and...
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Crop-improvement refers to the systematic enhancement of plant varieties through selective breeding, genetic modification, and biotechnological approaches to develop cultivars with superior agronomic, nutritional, or environmental traits. This field is essential for addressing global food security,
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