The Impact of RNAi Technology in Transforming Agriculture

For decades, researchers worldwide have been harnessing the natural gene-silencing technique called RNA interference (RNAi) for crop improvement. One of the earliest applications of RNAi was the development of the delayed-softening trait in tomatoes reported in 1992.

RNAi works like a dimmer switch for genes to lessen their expression instead of entirely removing them. This method offers many benefits compared to other gene editing tools. For instance, CRISPR entirely knocks out targeted genes, while RNAi enables fire-tuning of the gene expression and minimizing unintended reactions. Furthermore, RNAi allows targeting of particular tissues in an organism, which further ensures safety and effectiveness.

Dr. Keerti Rathore and his research team at Texas A&M AgriLife Research provide a prominent example of RNAi application. They used the method of developing ultra-low gossypol cottonseed. Gossypol is a natural toxin found in cottonseeds that make them unfit for food and feed. They used RNAi to silence the toxin in the seeds, turning the cottonseeds into a safe and valuable source of protein and oil. After 25 years of research, the US Food and Drug Administration has granted food and feed approval for the ultra-low gossypol cottonseed.

The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) published a paper on RNAi with Dr. Rathore as one of the authors. The paper highlights the diverse applications of RNAi, its regulatory considerations, and future prospects.

Read more from Texas A&M AgriLife and CAST.