Renaissance BioScience Corp., a global leader in yeast bioengineering, has announced a new project funded by Genome BC to adapt its RNA interference (RNAi) biopesticide technology for soil-dwelling crop pests, beginning with wireworms. This marks the company's first effort to target pests that live and feed below the soil surface, representing a significant technical challenge that could open new opportunities for sustainable agriculture.
Wireworms, the soil-dwelling larvae of click beetles, are among agriculture's most persistent and destructive pests, damaging crops such as potatoes, root vegetables, corn, and cereals. They live underground for several years, feeding on germinating seeds and roots, making them difficult to detect and control with conventional methods. The project will focus on developing a precision RNAi biopesticide targeting Agriotes species of wireworms, which cause substantial crop losses in Europe, North America, and other key agricultural markets.
Renaissance's proprietary yeast-based RNAi platform has previously been successful against above-ground insect pests. This project aims to adapt the technology to protect RNAi in the challenging soil environment while promoting ingestion by wireworms. Combined with advanced formulation technologies, the platform could overcome key barriers to effective soil-applied RNAi biopesticides. By identifying genes essential for survival conserved across two Agriotes species, Renaissance aims to develop a targeted solution capable of controlling more than one species with a single product.
"Wireworms are one of agriculture's most challenging insect pests because they spend up to five years as larvae below ground, where conventional control options are limited," said Dr. John Husnik, co-CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of Renaissance BioScience. He added, "Beyond developing a solution for wireworms, this project is strategically important because it will help determine how our yeast-based RNAi platform can be successfully extended from leaf-feeding insects to also target soil-dwelling pests. Wireworms are just the beginning."
The wireworm program builds on Renaissance's growing portfolio of RNAi-based crop protection technologies. Successfully extending the technology below ground would represent a significant platform advance, opening new opportunities across multiple crops and agricultural markets while supporting the growing demand for environmentally sustainable alternatives to conventional chemical pesticides. "This support from Genome BC recognizes the tremendous potential of precision biological technologies to transform sustainable agriculture," added Dr. Husnik.
Genome BC is a not-for-profit organization that has advanced genomics research and innovation for 25 years, attracting over $1.1 billion in direct co-investment to British Columbia. More information about Genome BC can be found at genomebc.ca. Renaissance BioScience Corp., based in Vancouver, Canada, is a global-leading yeast bioengineering company. For more information, visit renaissancebioscience.com.
