Abstract: Insect pest control by plant-mediated RNAi has received extensive attention in the recent decade. The process involves two steps: the first is the expression, transport and storage of the dsRNAs of target genes in a plant, and the second is that the expression of target gene in the pest is specifically inhibited after the pest feeds on this plant. So far, plant-mediated RNAi has been focused on Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Homoptera pests, causing the abnormal growth and development, reduced fecundity, and mortality of insect pests, and even the abnormal growth and development of their offspring. There are many factors affecting the efficacy of plant-mediated RNAi for pest control, including the selection of target gene/locus, the length of dsRNA, dsRNA expression vector and the transformation method of plant. Plant-mediated RNAi for pest control is still facing some challenges, such as the ecological safety of transgenic plant and the potential off-target effect of RNAi. With the development of this technology, it could become a new strategy for pest control.

Key words: Transgenic plant, insect pest control, target gene, RNAi, off-target effect