Development of Spray-Induced Gene Silencing technology for sustainable control of Fusarium head blight disease

Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium head blight (FHB) on wheat and barley leading to multi-billion-dollar losses worldwide.

FHB is controlled by intensive fungicide spraying, raising environmental concerns, and has become resistant to some fungicides. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop alternative means for FHB control.

RNA interference is a conserved cellular mechanism mediated by naturally occurring double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and small RNAs (sRNAs) that can target mRNAs for destruction.

Spraying dsRNAs that target essential pathogen genes onto plants (spray-induced gene silencing [SIGS]) may yield crop protection.

This project aims to develop and evaluate SIGS to control FHB.We propose to understand: 1) if F. graminearum and wheat/barley possess sRNAs homologous to each other’s genes, 2) do cross-species sRNAs target mRNAs for destruction, 3) whether bidirectional transport of sRNAs between different hosts and F. graminearum involves extracellular vesicles (EVs), 4) test if SIGS can prevent FHB.

We will use dual RNA and proteome sequencing of F. graminearum – wheat/barley interactions, including EVs (sRNA, mRNA and RNA degradome), combined with functional assays, to select targets for SIGS against F. graminearum.

We will test SIGS formulations in the greenhouse and under field conditions for activity against FHB via high throughput phenotyping. SIGS has the unique potential to provide environmentally benign, sustainable FHB control that is GMO-free.