Innovations In Delivery Systems For Nucleic Acid-based Pest Management

Nucleic acid-based technologies represent a groundbreaking frontier in agricultural biotechnology, offering targeted pest management solutions by disrupting specific genetic pathways in plant pathogens. With the rising demand for sustainable and long-term pest control strategies, there is an essential need to advance our understanding of these mechanisms and their applications. The progressive development of innovative delivery systems—such as nanoparticle carriers, viral vectors, and peptide-based platforms—provides the necessary tools to enhance the precision and efficacy of nucleic acid transfer, addressing key challenges faced in traditional pest management.

Plant biotechnology has reached a critical juncture where the integration of nucleic acid delivery systems can significantly impact agricultural practices by improving resistance to diseases and pests. The potential of these technologies extends beyond immediate pest control, offering avenues for enhancing natural defense mechanisms in plants. Despite extensive research, challenges remain in the deployment of these technologies in field conditions, including issues of delivery efficiency, stability, and environmental considerations.

This Research Topic invites comprehensive Original Research, Methods, Review, Mini Review, and Perspective manuscripts that delve into the interaction between plant hosts and pathogens in the context of nucleic acid-based interventions. Research submissions that explore 'omics' approaches and novel biotechnological methods are encouraged.

Authors are warmly invited to submit manuscripts on (but not limited to) the following topics:

- Innovations in nucleic acid delivery systems and their applications in plant biotechnology;
- Gene-silencing technologies and their role in pathogen resistance;
- The interface between traditional pest management and cutting-edge biotechnological approaches;
- Case studies highlighting successful applications and field implementation of advanced delivery systems;
- Challenges and future prospects of nucleic acid-based pest management;
- The role of genetic and molecular insights in the development of sustainable pest control strategies.

We encourage submissions that provide rigorous insights into these emerging technologies, aiming to bridge the gap between laboratory research and practical agricultural applications. Please note that purely descriptive studies and Brief Research Reports are not accepted for this collection.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: nucleic acid delivery systems, gene-silencing technologies, plant-pathogen interactions, sustainable pest management, agricultural biotechnology

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.