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Section Symposium

Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

RNAi-based Bioinsecticides: Realizing the Commercial Potential for Sustainable Pest Management

Advances in yeast RNAi insecticide technology for control of insect pests of medical and agricultural importance

Sunday, November 10, 2024
3:15 PM – 3:30 PM MST
Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 131 A, PCC
Oral Presentation
The development of new transformative, eco-friendly, cost-effective insect control technologies is critical for addressing the limitations of traditional pesticides. We are developing a new class of biorational, species-specific interfering RNA pesticides for insect control. This research initiated in mosquitoes, for which we developed strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker’s yeast) that express short hairpin RNA (shRNA) insecticides that target conserved sites in essential Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex mosquito genes. The yeast can be dried, inactivated, and incorporated into controlled-release tablets, facilitating larval control, or integrated into attractive targeted sugar baits, enabling adult mosquito control. This research has also led to development of female-specific yeast strains that facilitate mass-rearing of adult males for sterile insect technique (SIT) programs. We are now developing yeast RNAi pesticides for the control of crop pests, including Drosophila suzukii and Lepidopteran insects, as well as urban pests such as roaches and ants. The species-specificity of the yeast technology, combined with its low cost, scalability, extended shelf life, and substantial residual activity are expected to promote significant advances in precision insect pest control.