Chemicalfree spray targets whitefly

SYDNEY: An environmentally friendly spray targeting one of the world’s most damaging agricultural pests has been created by Australian scientists.

Heralded as a crop production gamechanger, the technology is chemicalfree and has been developed by University of Queensland researchers.

Research team leader Neena Mitter said that it was a breakthrough for crop protection because it was effective against silverleaf whitefly, a small insect responsible for the loss of billions of dollars in crops around the world.

‘‘We silence the genes of whitefly using their own RNA,’’ Mitter said.

RNA is a molecule in all living cells that has structural similarities to DNA.

The scientists sprayed the RNA on the plant so when the insects fed it killed them. The RNA is specific to the targeted species.

Mitter said the research, published in the scientific journal Nature Plants yesterday, had worked out how to silence genes in the pest.