UNLEASHING THE POWER OF RNA INTERFERENCE (RNAI) TECHNOLOGY: REVOLUTIONIZING PEST AND PLANT DISEASE CONTROL IN THE COCOA INDUSTRY
Authors: Dayang Rosiz’zah, D.
Journal Issue: Malaysian Cocoa Journal, Volume 16/2024
Keywords: RNA interference, plant disease control, cocoa industry, cocoa pest, cocoa plant disease
Published On: 1/10/2024
Abstract
In disease control management, RNA interference (RNAi) technology has emerged as an eco-friendly alternative to the conventional use of pesticides and fungicides in agriculture. RNA interference (RNAi) is a mechanism for post-transcriptional silencing triggered by the presence of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), leading to the degradation of mRNAs (target genes) that exhibit complementarity to the dsRNA. Prolonged use of pesticides raises concerns regarding environmental sustainability, human health, and the emergence of fungicide/pesticide-resistant pests or plant diseases. Therefore, many studies have demonstrated the significant potential of RNAi technology in controlling plant diseases, as the application of double-stranded RNA is known to inhibit the development and growth of target pests or pathogens and reduce the expression of specific target genes. Despite the promising applications of RNAi in agriculture, its extensive utilization in the cocoa industry for controlling major pests and plant pathogens, such as Conopomorpha Cramella, Phytophthora Palmivora, and Oncobasidium theobromae, remains largely unexplored. Thus, this review provides insight into the mechanism and modes of application of RNAi technology. Additionally, it discusses existing studies on the use of RNAi in the agriculture sector and the limited exploration within the cocoa industry. The paper concludes by addressing the challenges associated with the adoption of RNAi technology in pest and disease management.