Towards spray–induced gene silencing (SIGS) for plant disease management – the case of Phytophthora infestans

Abstract: There is a steady increase in the research about the applicability of RNA interference (RNAi) for control of plant pathogenic fungi in the last 10 years. The technology offers a remarkable target specificity, which can contribute to the integrated pest management strategies and for agrobiodiversity conservation. There are two major techniques under consideration depending on the delivery method of the interfering double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), called host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) and spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS). Both techniques, however, depend on the susceptibility of the target species to the exposure to dsRNA. The successful use of the HIGS strategy to reduce the disease symptoms after P. infestans infection has been demonstrated, providing evidence for the functioning of the RNAi machinery in this organism. Studies on the efficiency of SIGS for the control of P. infestans became available only recently, however they report contradictory results. Here, the progress in the application of RNAi for plant protection purposes is reviewed and the challenges of using SIGS for P. infestans management are discussed.