RNAi-mediated silencing of NlGRP3 augments the insecticidal virulence of Metarhizium anisopliae to the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens.

The rapid development of insecticide resistance reinforces the urgent need to develop eco-friendly strategies for controlling Nilaparvata lugens (brown planthopper, BPH), the most destructive insect pest of rice. Both entomopathogens and RNA interference (RNAi) provide attractive alternatives to chemical insecticides. In this study, we demonstrated the synergistic potential of the combination use of entomopathogen- and RNAi-mediated approaches to control BPH.