Summary: RNA
fungicides, a pesticide revolution, use SIGS for targeted pathogen control.
Innovations—AI - screening, yeast production and nanocarriers—reduce costs by
60% and extend field efficacy to 72h. In 2025, Siliver completed registration,
built a kiloton line with 88% field control, leading China’s advance. Fifteen
products are globally in play. Future “cocktail” tech, precision release and
alliances will build a sustainable ecosystem. They may capture over 20% of the
global market in 10 years, driving green agriculture.
The RNA fungicide, regarded as the core
technology of the "third revolution" in the history of pesticides, is
reshaping the landscape of agricultural plant protection with its
characteristics of precise targeting and environmental friendliness.
1.Breakthrough from the laboratory to the
field
Mechanism of action:
The RNA fungicide uses the Spray-Induced
Gene Silencing (SIGS) technology. It designs specific double-stranded RNA
(dsRNA) molecules to target the key genes of pathogens (such as the ergosterol
synthesis gene of fungi and the replicase gene of viruses), blocking the
synthesis of their proteins, thus inhibiting the growth or directly killing the
pathogens.
This precise intervention in the form of a
"gene scissors" avoids the harm of traditional chemical pesticides to
non-target organisms, and it is difficult for pathogens to develop resistance.
Such a breakthrough enables the RNA fungicide
to achieve precise regulation and delay the development of drug resistance.
Production process:
Siliver Technology combines AI algorithms
with synthetic biology to build the world's first RNA pesticide AI algorithm
platform, reducing the target screening time from 3 months to 5 seconds. It
also uses yeast cell factories to achieve large-scale production of dsRNA,
reducing the cost by more than 60%.
In addition, the team from Shanghai Jiao
Tong University has developed nanomaterial carriers (such as liposomes and
graphene quantum dots) to improve the adsorption rate and stability of dsRNA on
the plant surface. The half-life in the field has been extended from 4 hours to
72 hours.
The application scope of RNA fungicides
covers various pathogens such as fungi (Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium), bacteria
(bacterial wilt), and viruses (tobacco mosaic virus). For example, the RNA
fungicide against Phytophthora capsici developed by China Agricultural
University has a control efficiency of 90% in indoor bioassays.
In the non-agricultural field, it has also
been extended to animal husbandry (such as the prevention and control of
classical swine fever virus) and public health (such as the prevention and
control of mosquito-borne diseases).
Siliver Technology has also initiated the
research and development of RNA products for pet antiparasitics.
2.Industrialization process
As early as 2024, Syngenta launched the
three-bacteria compound biological fungicide REVERB in Brazil, integrating
Bacillus subtilis with RNA technology, which increased the sales in the Latin
American market by 113%, verifying the market potential of RNA technology.
The emerging American enterprise GreenLight
Biosciences has reduced the cost of dsRNA to $1 per gram through cell-free
production technology and plans to launch an RNA fungicide for Botrytis cinerea
of grapes in the European Union in 2025.
In 2025, Siliver Technology completed the
testing and registration of the world's first RNA fungicide (nucleic acid
interferon for tobacco mosaic virus) and built the first domestic automated
production line with an annual production capacity of 1,000 tons.
In the field trials in 8 locations in 4
provinces across the country, this product has an average control efficiency of
88% and is compatible with drone spraying, increasing the efficiency by 3
times.
It can be seen that China has achieved a
transformation from "running side by side" to "leading" in
the field of RNA fungicides.
Currently, the world's first
industrialization standard for RNA biopesticides is led by Siliver Technology,
covering key aspects such as quality control and environmental risk assessment.
Domestic enterprises have laid out 15 RNA
fungicides, including control targets such as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and
tomato yellow leaf curl virus, among which 5 have entered the field trial
stage.
3.Future trends
Technologically, to improve the
broad-spectrum control effect, there is an urgent need to develop a
"cocktail" type of dsRNA combination targeting the metabolic network
of pathogens.
At the same time, pH-sensitive materials
are used to achieve the precise release of dsRNA in plants, reducing the dosage
by 50%.
In the industrial ecosystem, Siliver
Technology, in collaboration with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Sinochem
Group, has established the "RNA Animal and Plant Protectant Innovation
Industry Alliance" to integrate resources for research and development,
production, and sales. In addition, it is exploring the use of agricultural
waste (such as straw) to produce dsRNA, turning waste into treasure.
Meanwhile, it is also necessary to improve
social acceptance. For example, the pilot project of the team from Hubei
University in Zhijiang City has increased the farmers' awareness of "gene
technology" from 30% to 85%.
Internationally, Chinese enterprises are
building joint laboratories with the European Union and Latin American
countries, promoting RNA fungicides to become a landmark technology in
agricultural cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
The breakthrough of RNA fungicides is not
only a victory of technology but also an epitome of the transformation of
agricultural civilization towards sustainable development.
With technological iteration and policy
support, RNA fungicides are expected to account for more than 20% of the global
pesticide market in the next decade and become the core pillar of green
agriculture.
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