RNA Interference (RNAi) Induced Gene Silencing To Enhance Crop Resilience

RNA interference (RNAi) is an important mechanism for gene expression and epigenetic regulation. It involves the double-stranded, small interfering RNAs (siRNA) that bind to mRNA molecules and prevent translation into proteins. This process can be used to repress gene expression and thus, has potential applications in improving crop production and productivity. RNAi has been successfully used to increase resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, temperature, pests and diseases and to improve the quality of crops, such as increasing the nutritional value of food crops. Further, it also be used to increase the efficiency of crop production, such as improving the efficiency of photosynthesis, reducing the amount of water used for irrigation. Finally, it can be used to improve the environmental impact of crop production, such as increasing carbon sequestration or reducing the amount of fertilizer used. The application of RNAi in crop improvement has seen considerable success in recent years, where the researchers used this technology to reduce the need for chemical pesticides, as it can be used to target and reduce the expression of genes associated with pest resistance. Also it has used to reduce the expression of genes that are responsible for undesirable traits, such as the production of toxins in potatoes. Furthermore, RNAi can be used to reduce the spread of infectious diseases and viruses in crops, such as the Potato Virus Y, which can reduce crop yields. This article is an attempt to review RNAi mechanism and its achievements which attributed for crop improvement.