Silencing an essential gene involved in infestation and digestion in grain aphid through plant-mediated RNA interference generates aphid-resistant wheat plants.

Aphids are major agricultural pests which cause significant yield losses of crop plants each year by inflicting damage, both through the direct effects of feeding and by vectoring debilitating plant viruses. In the absence of genetic plant resistance, insecticide treatments remain the main means for aphid control. However, excessive dependence on insecticides is undesirable because of the development of insecticide resistance, the potential negative effects on non-target organisms and environmental pollution (Yu et al., 2014). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.