Farmers are quickly discouraged when a large number of crops are ruined by voracious pests. Just take the potato plant. It is destroyed by thousands of hungry potato beetles every year. Now, pesticides may be able to prevent this destruction, according to New Scientist.
Researchers are currently working on developing sprays that change the gene expression in certain crops, such as potatoes. These gene changes are legal, as they do not modify or completely change crops' genes. While genetic modification is an effective process for keeping crops safe from pests, it is looked down upon by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as well as by other government programs. Luckily this new process can kill off hungry pests without harming or altering the plant.
A new chemical on the block
The development is based off of RNA interference, a biological process that targets specific mRNA molecules and alters gene expression, ThermoFisher Scientific noted. The technique isn't only used on plants. Initially it was used on animals and mammals to learn more about certain genes and their effects on diseases. Scientists discovered that the process can also inhibit genes. Now, researchers have learned the beneficial effects the process could have on farmers' crops.
At Cornell University in June, researchers tested a pesticide solution on a set of potato plants to see what happened. They realized the RNA spray could kill potato beetles and protect the plant for at least 28 days without harming it. If the spray is perfected, farmers may be able to use it within the next five years.
Some major industry players like Monsanto are already interested in the concept. They are hoping to have a product ready for use by 2020 that can fight against Colorado potato beetles. The American Journal of Potato Research noted that the potato beetle has adapted to 52 different chemical compounds found in various pesticides in the last 50 years.
This pest, alongside many others, has adapted to the pesticides currently on the market, making the farmer's job much more difficult.
Targeted effects
Now, this RNA spray may be able to target pest species like the potato beetle specifically. Many pesticides on the market kill off pests, but they can kill beneficial insects as well, which is why many environmental groups are against them. This new spray can match the genetic sequences of pests and attack genes they need to live, leaving other pests with different genes alone. However, some pests have nearly identical critical genes.
For example, the Cornell researchers realized that the gene they aimed for is also found in house flies. Other critics worry that the gene used in this new pesticide spray could also affect human genetic sequences negatively. Hopefully any harmful effects would be discovered in testing, long before the product hit the agricultural market.
Some believe this might be a better option than some pesticides currently being sold and could help take the agrichemical market in a whole new direction. Farmers, especially those in Europe, are beginning to refuse to use certain pesticides based on their detrimental effects. Pesticides that contain neonicotinoids have recently been blamed for the downfall of honeybees, a bug that many farmers view as beneficial to their crops. Honeybees are responsible for 80 percent of all insect pollination, Backyard Beekeeper noted. Without pollination, many crops would fail and the agriculture industry would see a major decline in its annual yield of fruits and vegetables.
Hopefully RNA sprays will give farmers a sigh of relief and help certain cash crops prosper.
