Phloem-specific rnai vector for controlling brown planthopper in rice
Innovative RNAi technology using a phloem-specific vector to target and silence essential brown planthopper genes, reducing pest survival and reproduction without affecting plant health.
Overview
This innovative RNAi technology is designed to control Nilaparvata lugens, commonly known as the brown planthopper (BPH), a significant pest in rice cultivation. Utilizing a phloem-specific promoter in the pHannibal intron–hairpin RNAi vector, this technology targets and silences up to three essential BPH genes simultaneously. This approach ensures high accumulation of silencing RNAs in the phloem, which are ingested by the pest, leading to systemic knockdown and reduced survival, molting, and fecundity of the pest without causing pleiotropic effects in the plant.
Technical specifications
- Phloem-specific promoter: Ensures siRNA production is confined to phloem tissue.
- Multi-target RNAi: Capable of silencing up to three critical BPH genes simultaneously, enhancing pest control efficacy.
- Sustained silencing effect: High-dose, long-lasting RNAi effect through ingestion of phloem-derived siRNAs.
- Non-pleiotropic: Targets only insect genes, avoiding adverse effects on the rice plant.
Technology readiness level
The technology is currently at TRL 2, with ongoing efforts to prepare RNAi constructs, transform rice varieties, and select optimal lines for high transgene expression. Future validation involves collaborative insect feeding assays to further establish its efficacy.
About Purdue University
Purdue University is a comprehensive public land‑grant research institution in West Lafayette, Indiana, anchored by a large residential campus. Industry engages through co‑located core facilities, pilot‑scale testbeds, and an adjacent innovation district that brings together labs, corporate R&D space, and maker resources near faculty talent. A statewide Extension network and an established engineering co‑op program connect companies to field sites, workforce pipelines, and pragmatic pathways from concept to deployment across Indiana. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from NSF, DOE, USDA, NIH, and the Department of Defense, and commercialization is managed by a dedicated technology transfer office in partnership with the university’s affiliated research foundation.
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