Due to increasingly extreme weather conditions, population growth, and a higher demand for food, the need for pesticides, which can help us meet the sufficient food production, is consequently higher. Nowadays, the most commonly used pesticides are synthetic chemicals, which have many negative effects on the environment and non-target organisms. A high amount of chemicals used every year in turn leads to an increased pesticide resistance. In an attempt to reduce the damage caused by pesticides, modern biotechnological approaches are needed, such as development of small RNA based pesticides. The RNA interference is a mechanism where small RNAs participate in gene silencing. RNAi technology can be used to develop transgenic plants and viruses to control pests. The modern agriculture studies are based on the action of exogenously applied RNA molecules that inhibit mRNA translation and cause gene silencing that is vital for insect survival without modifying the genetic material. Such pesticides are biodegradable and more environmentally friendly, thus providing a good alternative.
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