Implementing RNA Interference to Boost Plant Resistance and Enhance Crop Characteristics: A Review

RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful technique used to regulate gene expression and silence specific genes. RNAi has been widely adopted in agriculture to enhance plant resistance against biotic stresses and improve crop traits. The mechanism of RNAi involves the introduction of small RNA molecules into cells, which then bind to complementary mRNA molecules and prevent their translation into proteins. The small RNA molecules responsible for gene silencing include small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs). siRNAs can be introduced into host cells and combine with the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). The siRNA binds to the target mRNA molecule and leads to its degradation, preventing protein synthesis. miRNAs can also incorporated into the RISC and bind to their target mRNAs resulting in translational repression. To initiate targeted gene silencing using RNAi, siRNAs or artificial miRNAs are then introduced into plant cells using various methods. In the context of increasing plant resistance against biotic stresses, RNAi has been used to silence genes involved in plant-pathogen interactions. By targeting virulence or host susceptibility genes, RNAi can disrupt the infection process and enhance plant resistance. Also, RNAi could be employed as an efficient tool to improve crop traits, grain yield, and fruit quality characteristics. Generally, by silencing genes that negatively regulate plant defense responses or enhance resistance, researchers could be able to develop crops with enhanced resistance to pathogenes and diseases with enhanced attributes.