Research Projects

The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous pest that causes significant losses to many crops, including maize, rice, sugarcane, and cotton, (Balla et al., 2019). New techniques of pest management are required to control this pest without harming the environment. RNA interference (RNAi) has shown significant potential in pest management by targeting genes essential for survival and reproduction. However, identifying appropriate target genes and developing effective dsRNA delivery methods remain challenging, as RNAi efficiency varies considerably across insect species (Yan et al., 2025). Recent studies have identified genes such as V-ATPase A, chitin synthase, CYP450, juvenile hormone esterase, COPIα, COPIβ, and GSTU1 as promising RNAi targets for the control of S. frugiperda (Guo et al., 2025; Bera et al., 2025). However, the practical application of dsRNA is hindered by its rapid degradation by nucleases, which significantly reduces its stability and efficacy under field conditions. Recent advancements in nanotechnology-based delivery systems, such as chitosan nanoparticles, liposomes, and layered double hydroxides, have enhanced the stability and sustained release of dsRNA. These nanoformulations can be optimized for foliar spray applications, providing a scalable, efficient, and environmentally sustainable strategy for RNAi-based pest control. CRISPR-Cas9-based gene editing has emerged as a powerful platform for developing innovative control strategies against economically significant insect pests (Macias et al., 2020). This genome editing approach has recently facilitated the advancement of precision-guided sterile insect techniques (pgSIT), which involve inducing site-specific mutations to produce sterile males and manipulate sex ratios ideally through non-transgenic means. In this context, genes involved in sex determination, oogenesis, and spermatogenesis represent key targets for precise genomic modifications aimed at pest suppression. Gene editing by CRISPR-Cas9 is usually performed by injecting gene editing materials (Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP) into pre-blastoderm embryos, but the small size of embryos, high mortality of injected eggs, and lower editing frequency make this technically challenging. A new strategy called ‘‘ReMOT Control’’ (Receptor-Mediated Ovary Transduction of Cargo) circumvents the need to inject embryos, using instead a small ovary-targeting peptide to transduce the RNP directly into the developing ovaries upon injection into the hemolymph of adult female or final instar larvae. When injected, RNP will be delivered into the oocyte at levels necessary to achieve genome editing in the embryo, bypassing the requirement for embryonic microinjection (Heu et al., 2020). This project aims to develop and validate dsRNA nanoformulations and CRISPR-based gene editing (ReMOT control) tools targeting vital genes in FAW, to be used in integrated pest management (IPM) programs.