Developing a framework for assessing the risks of in planta RNAi on non-target arthropods

The studies described in this proposal are designed to answer questions directly pertaining to the risk of in planta RNAi to non-target arthropods that are at greatest risk of exposure because of a shared environment and common molecular targets. The proposed research focuses on the western corn rootworm which has already been identified as a likely target pest and which in planta expression has been demonstrated to protect plants from larval feeding. The early-tier testing methods described in this proposal are intended to measure specific risk endpoints under a worst-case scenario. These methods will test whether the potential hazards of RNA transgenes can be transferred to non-target arthropods representing different habitats and diverse ecological functions. We believe this overall risk evaluation framework will provide an important model for future risk assessments of RNAi-mediated pest management technologies.