First Evidence of Feeding-Induced RNAi in Banana Weevil via Exogenous Application of dsRNA.

ABSTRACT: Banana weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus) is the most devastating pest of banana and plantain worldwide, yet current control measures are neither effective, sustainable, nor environmentally sound, and no resistant farmer-preferred cultivars are known to date. In this paper, we examined the ability to induce RNA interference (RNAi) in the banana weevil via feeding. We first developed an agar- and banana corm (rhizome) flour-based artificial diet in a multi-well plate setup that allowed the banana weevils to complete their life cycle from egg through the larval instars to the pupal stage in an average period of 53 days. Adults emerged about 20 days later. The artificial diet allowed the tunneling and burrowing habits of the larvae and successful metamorphosis up to adult eclosion. Adding

SUBMITTER: Mwaka HS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8779063 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature