Spray-induced gene silencing: an innovative strategy for plant trait improvement and disease control

Modern plant breeding is still a time-consuming and costly process, even with the most advanced technologies such as gene editing. Hence, there an urgent need to develop alternative means for trait manipulation protection. RNA interference (RNAi) conserved cellular mechanism mediated by naturally occurring double-stranded (dsRNA) small RNAs (sRNAs) that can target mRNAs destruction or transcript reduction. Here, we review potential of technology based on RNAi, called spray-induced silencing (SIGS), adjunct endogenous expression in plants pathogen control. SIGS exogenous application molecules may be especially useful reducing pest impacts, thereby ameliorating biotic stresses increasing agronomic performance crops.