The “Second International Molecular Plant Protection Congress (IMPPC2023- https://www.imppc2023.org/) ” held in Bursa, Turkey, May 15-18, 2023 was a great success and hosted 650 delegates from all over the world who made over 220 presentations, while 81 invited speakers delivered key notes. 41 leading companies of the field were also in the exhibition hall and introduced their recent discoveries in the field of molecular plant protection and life sciences. The opening lecture was given by Dr. Craig Mello, 2006 Nobel Laurate in Physiology or Medicine, who discovered RNA interference (RNAi), an obvious concept central to innovative pest management. The congress hosted three thematic sessions on RNAi and have provided a unique platform for researchers and stakeholders to share their latest findings on RNAi in insect biology and pest management. Some of the keynote speakers, world-wide leading scientists of the field of RNAi, were Ken Narva (GreenLight Biosciences, USA), Steve Whyard (University of Manitoba, Canada), Gregor Bucher (Georg-August-University Göttingen, Germany), Umut Toprak (Ankara University, Turkey), Hans Merzendorfer (University of Siegen, Germany), Neena Mitter (University of Queensland, Australia), Ameer Shakeel (AgroSpheres, USA), Steve Meyer (RNAissance Ag, USA), Subba Reddy Palli (University of Kentucky, USA), Kostas Mathiopoulos (University of Thessaly, Greece), Kun Yan Zhu (Kansas State University, USA), Shuhei Hashiro (Ajinomoto Co., Japan). Some of the leading companies working on the development of dsRNA-based, sprayable insecticides, GreenLight Biosciences, AgroSpheres, RNAissance Ag, Genolution, and Ajinomoto Co. introduced their latest studies and exhibited their recent dsRNA-based products in the congress exhibition hall. The success of the congress encouraged us to compile a special issue on RNAi in insect biology and pest management.
In collaboration with Royal Entomological Society, we are happy to announce the special memorial issue “Recent Insights into RNAi in Insect Biology and Pest Management” in recognition of IMPPC-2023 in “Insect Molecular Biology”, a Q1 top journal in the field of Insect Molecular Biology with an impact factor of 2.6. The Molen PI, Dr. Umut Toprak will be leading the SI. The special issue will focus on the use of RNAi for pest control, in particular development, formulation of dsRNA-based biopesticides against different pest species. Fundamental findings in relation to RNAi pathway and new target genes in select pests will be also within the scope of the SI.
