Umar Akram 1,2, Furqan Ahmed1,2, Zaid Waqas1, Shiza Danish1, Mirza Abid Mehmood3, Zulqurnain Khan2, Shoaib ur Rehman2 and Muhammad Mubashar Zafar 4,*
1Quarantine and Cotton Biotechnology Laboratory, Institute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan (60000), Punjab, Pakistan; 2 Sino-Pak Joint Laboratory, Institute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan (60000), Punjab, Pakistan; 3Institute of Plant Protection, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan (60000), Punjab, Pakistan; 4Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
*Corresponding author: m.mubasharzafar@gmail.com
Whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) are destructive agricultural pests that cause sufficient damage by sucking sap and transmitting virus vectors. This not only weakens the plant's immunity but also contributes to the spread of plant diseases, resulting in a severe impact on crop yield. The continuous and excessive use of conventional chemical pesticides not only disturbed the environment but also became a source of vertical or resistance in insects. Advances in biotechnology, particularly RNA interference (RNAi), have helped provide an environmentally friendly and species-specific solution for pest management in sustainable agriculture. RNAi technology works by silencing the genes that are essential for whitefly survival and reproduction, increasing its mortality rate without affecting off-target organisms and preventing hazardous residues in crops. However, RNAi delivery is a challenging task due to plant barriers, such as the cell wall and the plant immune system. Encapsulated RNAi in nanoparticles enhanced its solubility and efficiency, making it a more effective approach. This approach not only improved RNAi delivery but also protected it from degradation, ensuring constant activity in plant cells. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the use of encapsulated RNAi in nanoparticles for controlling whiteflies and promoting sustainability in agriculture.