Selvaraj Tamilarasan
India
Review Article
Engineering Crop Plants for Nematode Resistance through Host-Derived RNA Interference
Author(s): Selvaraj Tamilarasan and Manchikatla Venkat RajamSelvaraj Tamilarasan and Manchikatla Venkat Rajam
Plant parasitic nematodes are major threat for crop plants and cause severe economic losses worldwide annually. Various strategies deployed for the control of these notorious parasites has resulted either in limited success, or having huge negative impact on environment. RNA interference (RNAi) is a gene-silencing phenomenon that is conserved in various eukaryotes. Experimentally induced RNAi is highly specific and potent, leading to its wide utilization in functional studies for exploring gene functions. Crops engineered through RNAi have proven to be successful in protection against pest and parasites, including nematodes. Engineering nematode resistance in crop plants through host-derived RNAi is largely based on the selection of target gene. The expression of nematode specific dsRNA in plants generates siRNAs and taken up by nematodes on feeding. Depending upon the function, level.. View More»
