In which of the following plants was resistance against a nematode developed using RNAi?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Tobacco
The nematode Meloidegyne incognitia infects the roots of tobacco plants and greatly reduces their yield. To stop it, scientists used RNA interference (RNAi). Using Agrobacterium vectors, nematode-specific genes were put into the tobacco plant so that it made both sense and anti-sense RNA. The two strands form double-stranded RNA, which silences the matching mRNA of the parasite. The parasite cannot survive in the transgenic host, so the plant is protected.
NCERT Extract:
Biotechnological Applications in Agriculture – “… Several nematodes parasitise a wide variety of plants and animals including human beings. A nematode Meloidegyne incognitia infects the roots of tobacco plants and causes a great reduction in yield. A novel strategy was adopted to prevent this infestation which was based on the process of RNA interference (RNAi).”