Braden Allphin and James R Balthazor*
RNA interference (RNAi) represents a promising strategy for species-specific pest control by selectively silencing essential genes. The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, is a major agricultural pest that reduces legume crop productivity and transmits plant pathogens, while current control methods rely heavily on insecticides with environmental and ecological drawbacks. In this study, the gene TOR1A, which encodes the AAA+ ATPase TorsinA involved in protein folding and endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein quality control, was evaluated as a target for RNAi-mediated mortality. Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) targeting TOR1A was synthesized and delivered to adult aphids via an artificial feeding assay at concentrations of 0.1 µg/µL and 1.0 µg/µL. Survival was monitored at 6-hour intervals and analyzed using Kaplan meier survival curves with statistical comparisons performed using the mantel cox (log-rank) test.
Both dsRNA treatment groups exhibited significantly reduced survival relative to untreated controls, with a clear dose-dependent effect. The 0.1 µg/µL treatment produced a modest but significant increase in mortality (p=0.0136), whereas the 1.0 µg/µL treatment resulted in a markedly accelerated mortality rate (p=3.23 × 10?14). Direct comparison between treatment groups confirmed a significant difference in survival (p=2.28 × 10?8). Hazard ratio analysis further supported these findings, with the 0.1 µg/µL treatment yielding a Hazard Ratio (HR) of 1.85 (95% CI:1.14-3.01) and the 1.0 µg/µL treatment yielding an HR of 8.46 (95% CI: 4.87-14.68) relative to control, while comparison between treatments produced an HR of 4.31 (95% CI: 2.58-7.20).
These results demonstrate that disruption of TOR1A significantly impairs survival in A. pisum, likely through accumulation of misfolded proteins, induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress and activation of apoptotic pathways. The strong dose-dependent response highlights TOR1A as a robust and effective RNAi target. This study provides further evidence that targeting protein homeostasis pathways is a viable and selective approach for aphid control and supports the development of RNAi-based strategies as alternatives to conventional insecticides.
Published Date: 2026-05-20; Received Date: 2026-04-20
