Amenability of Maruca vitrata (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) to gene silencing through exogenous administration and host-delivered dsRNA in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.).

ABSTRACT: Insect pests are one of the major biotic stresses limiting yield in commercially important crops. The lepidopteran polyphagous spotted pod borer, Maruca vitrata causes significant economic losses in legumes including pigeonpea. RNA interference (RNAi)-based gene silencing has emerged as one of the potential biotechnological tools for crop improvement. We report in this paper, RNAi in M. vitrata through exogenous administration of dsRNA with sequence specificity to three functionally important genes, Alpha-amylase (α-amylase), Chymotrypsin-like serine protease (CTLP) and Tropomyosin (TPM) into the larval haemolymph and their host-delivered RNAi in pigeonpea. Significant decline in the expression of selected genes supported by over-expression of DICER

SUBMITTER: Chatterjee M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8847478 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature