Renaissance BioScience Targets Soil Pests with RNAi Technology

Renaissance BioScience Corp., a global leader in yeast bioengineering, has announced a new Genome BC funded project to extend its RNA interference (RNAi) biopesticide technology from above-ground insect pests to soil-dwelling crop pests, starting with wireworms. Wireworms, the larvae of click beetles, are among agriculture's most destructive pests, damaging crops like potatoes, root vegetables, corn, and cereals. Living underground for up to five years, they are difficult to detect and control. This project aims to develop a precision biopesticide targeting Agriotes species of wireworms, which cause substantial losses in Europe, North America, and other markets. By identifying conserved essential genes, Renaissance aims to control multiple species with one product.

The project represents a significant technical challenge, as adapting the yeast-based RNAi delivery platform to the soil environment requires advanced formulation technologies to protect RNAi and promote ingestion by wireworms. Success could open the door to targeting a new range of economically costly soil-dwelling pests, expanding the commercial applications of Renaissance's RNAi platform. Dr. John Husnik, co-CEO and Chief Scientific Officer, emphasized that this project is strategically important for determining how to extend the platform from leaf-feeding insects to below-ground pests.

Renaissance's wireworm program builds on its growing portfolio of RNAi-based crop protection technologies, complementing ongoing development of biopesticides for other agricultural pests. The company believes this project could establish the foundation for future RNAi products targeting a broad range of soil-dwelling insects, supporting the demand for environmentally sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides. For more information, visit www.renaissancebioscience.com and www.genomebc.ca.