First evidence of orally delivered dsRNA-induced RNA interference in the pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii Cano (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The pepper weevil (Anthonomus eugenii Cano), a significant pest of pepper crops in the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean, can be controlled using RNA interference (RNAi), a common technique for analyzing gene activities and creating innovative management plans for a variety of insect pests. This pest's larval stages develop inside the fruit, making it difficult to handle effectively with both conventional and biorational insecticides. The current study examined the possibility of oral double-stranded RNA targeting arginine kinase (ArgK) and pepper weevil heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) in managing this destructive pest. According to our findings, adult pepper weevil (both male and female selected randomly) death rates within 10 days were 61.67 and 48.33%, respectively, when Hsp70 and ArgK were silenced. The relative mRNA expression of ArgK and Hsp70 was drastically reduced by 5.06 and 4.15 times, respectively, after 72 hours of DsRNA exposure. According to our findings, pepper weevils respond well to dietary RNA interference, and Hsp70 and ArgK may be useful RNAi target genes for managing this damaging pest. RNAi-based control of the pepper weevil opens avenues for the development of RNA-based commercial biopesticides. The results suggest that ArgK and Hsp70 play a key role in pepper biology. However, extensive research to determine off-and-non-target effects, environmental consequences, and the possibility of any resistance development is also critical.