Warning! Unfortunately your browser has disabled scripting. Please enable it in order to display this page.
 

New pesticides may help with plant gene expression | Chem Service Pesticide Analysis | Greyhound Chromatography

New pesticides may help with plant gene expression

Harvest tractor image

Farmers are quickly discouraged when a large number of crops are ruined by voracious pests. Just take the potato plant. It is destroyed by thousands of hungry potato beetles every year. Now, pesticides may be able to prevent this destruction, according to New Scientist.

Researchers are currently working on developing sprays that change the gene expression in certain crops, such as potatoes. These gene changes are legal, as they do not modify or completely change crops' genes. While genetic modification is an effective process for keeping crops safe from pests, it is looked down upon by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as well as by other government programs. Luckily this new process can kill off hungry pests without harming or altering the plant.

A new chemical on the block

The development is based off of RNA interference, a biological process that targets specific mRNA molecules and alters gene expression, ThermoFisher Scientific noted. The technique isn't only used on plants. Initially it was used on animals and mammals to learn more about certain genes and their effects on diseases. Scientists discovered that the process can also inhibit genes. Now, researchers have learned the beneficial effects the process could have on farmers' crops.

At Cornell University in June, researchers tested a pesticide solution on a set of potato plants to see what happened. They realized the RNA spray could kill potato beetles and protect the plant for at least 28 days without harming it. If the spray is perfected, farmers may be able to use it within the next five years.

Some major industry players like Monsanto are already interested in the concept. They are hoping to have a product ready for use by 2020 that can fight against Colorado potato beetles. The American Journal of Potato Research noted that the potato beetle has adapted to 52 different chemical compounds found in various pesticides in the last 50 years.

This pest, alongside many others, has adapted to the pesticides currently on the market, making the farmer's job much more difficult.

Targeted effects

Now, this RNA spray may be able to target pest species like the potato beetle specifically. Many pesticides on the market kill off pests, but they can kill beneficial insects as well, which is why many environmental groups are against them. This new spray can match the genetic sequences of pests and attack genes they need to live, leaving other pests with different genes alone. However, some pests have nearly identical critical genes.

For example, the Cornell researchers realized that the gene they aimed for is also found in house flies. Other critics worry that the gene used in this new pesticide spray could also affect human genetic sequences negatively. Hopefully any harmful effects would be discovered in testing, long before the product hit the agricultural market.

Some believe this might be a better option than some pesticides currently being sold and could help take the agrichemical market in a whole new direction. Farmers, especially those in Europe, are beginning to refuse to use certain pesticides based on their detrimental effects. Pesticides that contain neonicotinoids have recently been blamed for the downfall of honeybees, a bug that many farmers view as beneficial to their crops. Honeybees are responsible for 80 percent of all insect pollination, Backyard Beekeeper noted. Without pollination, many crops would fail and the agriculture industry would see a major decline in its annual yield of fruits and vegetables.

Hopefully RNA sprays will give farmers a sigh of relief and help certain cash crops prosper.

 

For over 30 years Greyhound has been supplying high quality Chromatography consumables to laboratories around the world. We hold ISO 9001:2008 Certificate No: RS 30332 for the supply and stockholding of analytical reference standards, chemicals, chromatography columns and related accessories. Our Certified Reference Standards are supplied by Guide 34 accredited manufacturers.
Greyhound’s extensive range covers all areas of Agriculture, Chemical, Environmental, Food, Forensics, Petrochemical, Chemical, Life Sciences and Pharmaceutical analysis, holding stock of many popular products for prompt delivery via our extensive logistics network.
Greyhound prides itself on personal service which provides prompt, efficient, cost-effective, safe delivery of all products. With state-of-the art facilities and highly trained staff, Greyhound provides technical advice and distribution of Chromatography consumables across all disciplines. Our service is designed to provide a wide range of products, to help our clients to achieve excellent, cost-effective results. Greyhound manufactures its own range of Capillary Columns, Syringe Filters, SPE Columns and HPLC Columns, the 'Q' Range, as well as representing the industry’s best known manufacturers.
By working with the industry’s best known manufacturers we are able to tailor products to customer requirements and supply products on behalf of Biosolve; Chiron; Chromacol; Chem Service (Environmental and Pesticides); EP Scientific; Hach Lange, Hamilton; High Purity Standards; Jour Research; Larodan Fine Chemicals; Macherey-Nagel; National Scientific; PAH Reference Standards; Pfaltz and Bauer; Regis Technologies; Rheodyne; RT Corporation; Samco Scientific; SGE; SGT Filters; Sigma Aldrich, Fluka and Supelco, Sillicycle, Speciality Gases, Upchurch; Valco and Wellington Laboratories. We offer a full range of chromatography and laboratory consumables, if you visit our website and do not see what you require please contact us and we will do our best to source your requirements for you.

Our services include; Chemical Standards; Chiral Chromatography; Derivatives Analysis; Solvents; Dioxins/Furans/PCBs/PBDEs; Environmental Analysis; Gas Filters; GC; GC-MS; LC-MS; HPLC; ICP, ICP-MS, AA; Ion Chromatography; Lamps; Prep Silica; Reagents; SPE Solid Phase Extraction; SPME Solid Phase Micro-Extraction; Syringes; TLC Thin Layer Chromatography; Valves; Vials/Caps/Septa.

Our sales team is available to discuss your requirements in detail, from the application of products, to sourcing and prompt delivery. We are able to source hard to find chemicals which are no longer commercially available and are able to supply over 13,000 laboratory chemicals in small, convenient units. We offer generous discounts for bulk orders and call off orders, we can work with you to consolidate shipments.

CONTACT US   

Tel:        +44 (0) 151 649 4000   

Web:     www.greyhoundchrom.com   

Email:   marketing@greyhoundchrom.com   

FOLLOW US   

Facebook Icon Twitter Icon Instagram Icon LinkedIn Icon    

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN OUR NEWSLETTER   

SIGN UP HERE   

Greyhound Monthly Newsletter   

CATALOGUE DOWNLOADS   

Greyhound Q-Fil catalogue  Greyhound reference standards guide   Trajan GC Supplies catalogue 

 Greyhound Chromatography Q-Range Vials Catalogue Image     Chem Service Catalogue Image  Chem Service Pesticides Catalogue Image

Wellington Laboratories Catalogue Image            PFAS EBook  PFAS Environmental EBook

                Wellington Perfluoroalkyl Compounds

 About The Author

Susan Massie Greyhound Chromatography Image

Susan Massie, Sales & Marketing Director, Greyhound Chromatography and Allied Chemicals Email: sue@greyhoundchrom.com

Susan Massie is the Sales & Marketing Director for Greyhound Chromatography and Allied Chemicals, affectionately known as 'Greyhound' in our scientific community. Greyhound was founded by Susan's husband Paul Massie more than 40 years ago, Susan hasn't been in the business for all of that time but has been involved with Greyhound for over 19 years. Greyhound continues to grow, expanding into new markets and taking on the challenges of our ever changing environment. It's heartwarming to witness the world waking up to the fact that we are damaging our planet on a daily basis. Every action we take has a direct effect on our planet and the world we leave behind for future generations. Susan is passionate about climate change and is happy to work in an industry that can have a direct effect on reducing the impact of our actions on the environment. All of the team at Greyhound take our responsibilities very seriously, the products that we supply are used by the world's leading scientists and chemists as they endeavour to monitor and repair the environment. All is not lost, if we all take responsibility for our actions, from reducing our waste and reusing or recycling our material collateral we can make a difference. The internet is full of useful advice and guidance, Susan is proud to contribute to that wealth of knowledge whenever she can.

Greyhound prides itself on personal service which provides prompt, efficient, cost-effective, safe delivery of all products. Greyhound provides technical advice and distribution of Certified Reference Standards and Materials, Laboratory Consumables, Solvents and Reagents across all scientific disciplines. Greyhound Chromatography offers over 1 Million products from its UK warehouse. The team at Greyhound are proud to support the work of the world's leading scientists and chemists as they challenge the abuse of our planet and try to make a difference to the world we leave behind for our ancestors.

You can view Susan's Linked In Profile here https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-massie-79ab4121/

You can view Greyhound Chromatography’s LinkedIn page here https://www.linkedin.com/company/greyhound-chromatography/