infection-control-microbial-pathogenesis-2018-posters

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Journal of Infectious Diseases & Therapy |ISSN: 2332-0877 | Volume 6

June 25-26, 2018 | Vancouver, Canada

International Conference on

Infection, Disease Control and Prevention

Microbial Pathogenesis & Infectious Diseases

Host induced gene silencing for pest/pathogen control

Amy L Klocko

University of Colorado, USA

ommercial crops, such as corn, wheat, and soy are subject to damage from a variety of biotic and abiotic sources, leading to

reduced yields and a loss of income. There are a variety of strategies available to mitigate damage from biotic sources, including

breeding for improved resistance, the application of pesticides, and crop rotation. Genetic engineering methods offer additional

methods. One such method, host induced gene silencing (HIGS) is an approach that shows promise for the control of a variety

of problematic crop-damaging organisms, ranging from nematodes and insects, to fungi and parasitic plants. In general, HIGS

utilizes RNA interference (RNAi) molecules produced by the plant, which then target key genes in pests/pathogens, ideally leading to

improved resistance of the plant and a reduction in damage. This approach has been demonstrated to be effective in both laboratory

and field settings, in a variety of host plants and targeting diverse pests/pathogens. Currently, no HIGS-protected crops are being used

in a commercial setting. As this area of research is still very much in development, the possible off-target and non-target effects need

to be assessed, as do the long-term stability and effectiveness. Practical implementation of HIGS to commercial crop production will

rely on extensive field-testing, as well as regulatory and marketplace acceptance of new varieties.

J Infect Dis Ther 2018, Volume 6

DOI: 10.4172/2332-0877-C2-042