Methods and compositions are provided which employ a silencing element that, when ingested by a pest, such as a Coleopteran plant pest or a Diabrotica plant pest, decrease the expression of a target sequence in the pest. In specific embodiments, the decrease in expression of the target sequence controls the pest and thereby the methods and compositions are capable of limiting damage to a plant. The present invention provides various target polynucleotides set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1-236 or active variants and fragments thereof, wherein a decrease in expression of one or more the sequences in the target pest controls the pest (i.e., has insecticidal activity). Further provided are silencing elements which when ingested by the pest decrease the level of the target polypeptide and thereby control the pest. In specific embodiment, the pest is D. virgifera virgifera, D. barberi, D. speciosa, or D. undecimpunctata howardi Plants, plant part, bacteria and other host cells comprising the silencing elements or an active variant or fragment thereof of the invention are also provided.

Methods and compositions are provided which employ a silencing element that, when ingested by a pest, such as a Coleopteran plant pest or a Diabrotica plant pest, decrease the expression of a target sequence in the pest. In specific embodiments, the decrease in expression of the target sequence controls the pest and thereby the methods and compositions are capable of limiting damage to a plant. The present invention provides various target polynucleotides set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1-236 or active variants and fragments thereof, wherein a decrease in expression of one or more the sequences in the target pest controls the pest (i.e., has insecticidal activity). Further provided are silencing elements which when ingested by the pest decrease the level of the target polypeptide and thereby control the pest. In specific embodiment, the pest is D. virgifera virgifera, D. barberi, D. speciosa, or D. undecimpunctata howardi Plants, plant part, bacteria and other host cells comprising the silencing elements or an active variant or fragment thereof of the invention are also provided.

The present invention pertains to the field of agriculture. The invention relates to a method to inhibit gene expression in bacteria, which is referred to here as Antibacterial Gene Silencing (AGS). In particular embodiments, the method is used to protect plants against pathogenic bacteria by targeting pathogenicity factors and/or essential genes in a sequence-specific manner via small non-coding RNAs. The method can also be used to enhance beneficial effects and/or growth of plant-associated symbiotic or commensal bacteria. The invention involves either the generation of stable transgenic plants that constitutively express antibacterial small RNAs or, alternatively, the exogenous delivery of these small RNA entities onto plants, either in the form of RNA extracts or embedded into plant extracellular vesicles (EVs), which were found to be effective in reducing bacterial pathogenicity. The invention also describes a method to identify in a rapid, reliable and cost-effective manner, small RNAs that possess antibacterial activity and that can be further exploited for RNA-based biocontrol applications to confer plant protection against pathogenic bacteria. In addition, the latter approach is instrumental to rapidly characterize any genes from any bacterial species.

This invention is related to a method of selection of a nucleotide sequence useful as a phytosanitary product. It also refers to a modified plasmid or cosmid comprising this nucleotide sequence, a host cell for its expression, the dsRNA molecule useful as phytosanitary product and compounds and/or phytosanitary products comprising it, to be used to eliminate or reduce the infestation of an insect, disease or weed in cultivated crops.

This invention is related to a method of selection of a nucleotide sequence useful as a phytosanitary product. It also refers to a modified plasmid or cosmid comprising this nucleotide sequence, a host cell for its expression, the dsRNA molecule useful as phytosanitary product and compounds and/or phytosanitary products comprising it, to be used to eliminate or reduce the infestation of an insect, disease or weed in cultivated crops.

A method for modulating the release rate of microencapsulated active ingredients comprising the following steps: I) preparation of an aqueous suspension A) comprising microcapsules of at least one active ingredient, II) preparation of a liquid emulsifiable in water, component B), comprising a solvent of the active ingredient and at least a surfactant, III) water, component C), for diluting to the application dose the active ingredient, and mixing A), B) and C).

A method for modulating the release rate of microencapsulated active ingredients comprising the following steps: I) preparation of an aqueous suspension A) comprising microcapsules of at least one active ingredient, II) preparation of a liquid emulsifiable in water, component B), comprising a solvent of the active ingredient and at least a surfactant, III) water, component C), for diluting to the application dose the active ingredient, and mixing A), B) and C).

The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing chitosan nanoparticles. The chitosan nanoparticles have dsRNAst adhered onto the surface of the particles. The dsRNAst is selected to have the property to gene silencing of AgraChSII. The invention does also relate to the chitosan nanoparticle, its use in pest-control, as pesticide, and a concentrated suspension containing the chitosan nanoparticles.

The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing chitosan nanoparticles. The chitosan nanoparticles have dsRNAst adhered onto the surface of the particles. The dsRNAst is selected to have the property to gene silencing of AgraChSII. The invention does also relate to the chitosan nanoparticle, its use in pest-control, as pesticide, and a concentrated suspension containing the chitosan nanoparticles.

The invention relates to a method to inhibit gene expression in bacteria, which is referred to here as Antibacterial Gene Silencing (AGS). In particular embodiments, the method is used to protect plants and animals against pathogenic bacteria by targeting pathogenicity factors and/or essential genes in a sequence-specific manner via small non-coding RNAs. The method can also be used to enhance beneficial effects and/or growth of symbiotic or commensal bacteria. The invention involves the exogenous delivery of small RNA entities onto bacteria, either in the form of RNA extracts or embedded into plant extracellular vesicles (EVs), so as to reduce bacterial growth, survival and/or pathogenicity. The invention also describes a method to identify in a rapid, reliable and cost-effective manner, small RNAs that possess antibacterial activity and that have the potential to be further developed as anti-infective agents. In addition, the latter method is instrumental to rapidly characterize any gene from any bacterial species.