Use and application of Rna interference in plant protection: Case study on Western Corn Rootworm

master's thesis

• Author: Mihaela Trčak
• Mentor: Renata Bažok (mentor)
• Committee member: Renata Bažok (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Snježana Kereša (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Darija Lemić (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Agriculture; (Department of Agricultural Zoology); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2019-09-27, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOTECHNICAL SCIENCES; Agronomy

Abstract

Despite the remarkable increase in pesticide use and advances in plant protection, the global crop loss due to pest damage has remained high. Some pests like western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte have shown considerable ability to adapt to different management practices such as crop rotation, chemical pesticides, and biotechnological control. Therefore, there is a need for the development of new technologies which can be efficiently and sustainably used for managing economically important pests. One of the new technologies which show promising results in the control and management of western corn rootworm is RNA interference. It is a novel biotechnological tool which is based on a sequence-specific repression of gene expression by using small double-stranded RNAs. It can induce cessation of feeding and ultimately morbidity of pests. Since western corn rootworm management is a challenging task due to substantial adaptability and resistance to various management strategies, RNAi technology presents a valuable tool for WCR control. It is highly efficacious and considered as ecologically safe, but before the wider use of this technology, its weak points shall be considered.

• Keywords: RNAi; western corn rootworm; RNAi for western corn rootworm control; RNAi risk assessment; RNAi product registration
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:204:649403
• Study programme: Title: Environment, Agriculture and Resource Management; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: Master of Engineering in Agriculture (Master of Engineering in Agriculture)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2019-10-30 10:02:33