biostudies-literatureLiu YNational Natural Science Foundation of China8239https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9332473biostudies-literatureUnknown23(15)The white-backed planthopper (WBPH), <i>Sogatella furcifera</i>, is one of the most important piercing-sucking pests of rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i>) in Asia. Mucin-like salivary protein (SFMLP) is highly expressed in the salivary glands of WBPH, which plays an important role in WBPH feeding. In this study, WBPH injected with <i>dsSFMLP</i> had difficulty in sucking phloem sap from rice plants, which significantly reduced their food intake, weight, and survival. In contrast, the knockdown of the <i>SFMLP</i> gene had only a marginal effect on the survival of WBPH fed an artificial diet. Further studies showed that silencing <i>SFMLP</i> resulted in the short and single-branched salivary sheaths secretion and less formation of salivary flanges in rice. These data suggest that <i>SFMLP</i> is iInternational journal of molecular sciences<i>Sogatella furcifera</i> Saliva Mucin-like Protein Is Required for Feeding and Induces Rice Defences.PMC93324733177253831772538 and 3137043931370439Yi JLiu YHou MJia HMiao Yfalse<i>Sogatella furcifera</i> Saliva Mucin-like Protein Is Required for Feeding and Induces Rice Defences.The white-backed planthopper (WBPH), <i>Sogatella furcifera</i>, is one of the most important piercing-sucking pests of rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i>) in Asia. Mucin-like salivary protein (SFMLP) is highly expressed in the salivary glands of WBPH, which plays an important role in WBPH feeding. In this study, WBPH injected with <i>dsSFMLP</i> had difficulty in sucking phloem sap from rice plants, which significantly reduced their food intake, weight, and survival. In contrast, the knockdown of the <i>SFMLP</i> gene had only a marginal effect on the survival of WBPH fed an artificial diet. Further studies showed that silencing <i>SFMLP</i> resulted in the short and single-branched salivary sheaths secretion and less formation of salivary flanges in rice. These data suggest that <i>SFMLP</i> is i2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Jul2026-06-18T03:17:12.948Z2022-08-02T22:29:41.878ZS-EPMC93324733589782810.3390/ijms23158239