RNAi Methods For Controlling Stored Product Pests

We propose to develop methods and resources to apply RNAi technology for controlling storage pests including the cigarette beetle (CB, Lasioderma serricorne) and one other coleopteran that is of interest to IAB members. The major objectives of this project are to develop the transcriptome of CB, identify homologs of 12 genes that are shown to be the most effective RNAi targets in Tribolium castaneum, prepare dsRNAs and verify RNAi-mediated knockdown of target genes and determine the effects of the knockdown of these genes on the development, reproduction, and survival of beetles.