Investigating the potential for RNA interference-based management of oilseed rape pests
Description: Oilseed rape (OSR) is one of Europe’s most intensively grown crops. Management of two major OSR pests (pollen beetle and cabbage seed weevil) has relied on synthetic insecticides, resulting in resistant pest populations and loss of agriculturally beneficial insects. Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-based insecticides represent a potentially species-specific solution, due to the nucleotide sequence-specific mode of action of dsRNA. Our project aims to: isolate sensitive target genes in two major OSR pest species; examine RNAi efficacy via field-realistic exposure to dsRNA; compare efficacy between naked- and nanoformulated dsRNA; determine whether resistance to synthetic insecticides confers resistance to RNA-based insecticides; and assess the risk that OSR pest-specific dsRNAs pose to agriculturally beneficial insects. Project results will lay a foundation for small- and large scale field studies, in order to bring OSR production into a modern framework of sustainable agricultural practice.
Funder: Eesti Teadusagentuur
Amount: €943,700
Funding type: grant
Funder scheme: Personal research funding: Team grant (PRG)
Start date: 2021-01-01
End date: 2025-12-31
Investigator: Eve Veromann
Institution: Estonian University of Life Sciences
Funded outputs count: 20
Funder award ID: PRG1056
OpenAlex ID: G1069554173