| The Chicago Council on Global Affairs Precision Pesticides TOP STORY Agriculture’s constant battle against invasive pests and plants may have a new ally—RNA. Some scientists believe that RNA could be used as precision pesticides, which are environmentally friendly to boot. Theoretically, an RNA molecule could be tailored to sabotage the production of necessary proteins in a pest. Destroy the protein, destroy the pest, and thus the threat to crops. Two major pests have already been identified as candidates for the process: honeybee-destroying mite Varroa destructor and psyllids, the insects which cause citrus-greening disease. The boom in medical use of RNA for COVID-19 vaccines has made the molecule much more affordable, which could accelerate the development of RNA-based pesticides. Should the technology come to market, it would have major impacts around the world. The losses incurred by pests are massive—for example, a recent study found that invasive pests and plants cost African nations at least $3.5 trillion per year. |
PHOTO  REUTERS/Bobby YipA cabbage eaten by a bug is seen on a vegetable farm at the New Territories in Hong Kong. |
Precision Pesticides
May 23, 2021 by IAPPS
Global Plant Protection News 
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