Evaluation of dsRNA efficiency in the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

• Grant number: 25/08676-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal Investigator: Anete Pereira de Souza
• Grantee: Isabela dos Santos Begnami
• Supervisor: Kristof de Schutter
• Host Institution: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Ghent University (UGent), Belgium
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/14813-5 - Potencial target genes prospecting for RNAi-mediated control of Mahanarva spp. spittlebugs in sugarcane and forage, BP.DR

Abstract

Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), commonly referred to as the brown planthopper (BPH), is a major pest of Oryza spp in Asia that causes significant yield losses to this staple food crop. BPH can damage the rice plants directly by feeding on the phloem sap and indirectly by transmitting viruses, such as the rice grassy and the rice ragged. The control of this pest is primarily achieved through the use of insecticides. However, in addition to their detrimental effects on the environment, this insect has been developing resistance to the commonly used chemical products. RNA interference (RNAi) technology has emerged as a promising alternative for the management of herbivorous pests, and for BPH, some data and resources are available to support this strategy. This project aims to evaluate the efficiency of diverse double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules and formulations to induce RNAi-mediated gene silencing in N. lugens. Target specific dsRNAs will be designed and synthesized, and their potential to induce an efficient RNAi response will be assessed at multiple levels. First, their efficacy will be tested at the cellular level through uptake and functionality assays. Subsequently, tests will be performed at organismal level using microinjections and artificial diet feeding assays as a proof-of-concept. Finally, a system-level evaluation will be conducted using rice plants sprayed with dsRNA. This work is expected to contribute to the development of sustainable pest control strategies by providing validated dsRNAs for managing a major global pest. (AU)