Russian scientists have created an innovative DNA drug against the spider mite

Scientists from Novosibirsk State Agrarian University and Vernadsky Crimean Federal University have developed an environmentally friendly remedy against spider mites that combines fungi and DNA acaricides. These are short DNA molecules (oligonucleotides) that penetrate into the body of pests and inhibit the work of key genes responsible for the body's defense against toxins and infections.

The spider mite affects more than 200 species of plants, including agricultural crops and ornamental flowers. As the developers told Izvestia, in Russia up to 50% of greenhouse crops die every year because of it.

"Our development opens a new biorational path for plant protection. We have demonstrated for the first time that the combination of antisense oligonucleotides and fungus allows us to effectively fight dangerous pests such as spider mites. In the future, we plan to adapt the method for other pests by studying its effect at different stages of their life cycle," said Ivan Dubovsky, head of the project supported by the RNF grant and head of the Research Center for Biological Plant Protection at Novosibirsk State Agrarian University.

As the study showed, the combined preparation based on DNA-technology, which reduces the number of spider mites by seven times, reduces its reproduction by 80% and at the same time does not pollute the environment.

Read more in Izvestia's exclusive story on Tuesday, April 15, at 10:00:

Agrarian evolution: DNA drug will destroy the main enemy of greenhouse crops