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• The instant question that comes to most people's minds is likely "err…is this safe?" All indications are that RNAi can be very specific to the target gene. And we eat small RNAs with every meal, and to our knowledge it doesn't seem to hurt us.
• However, nearly all previous work on RNAi has been relegated to individual cells in a Petri dish, or to individual organisms (e.g. a sick grandma). Genetically modified crops are currently planted on nearly 10% of the terrestrial land surface of the United States. If RNAi-based pesticidal crops are planted on a similar scale, then this is an environmental exposure that is orders of magnitude greater than anything we have experienced before.
• Whether you love the idea of this new technology or hate it, the proliferation of this next generation of insecticides seems as though it will be a part of our lives in the very near future.
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• Jonathan Lundgren is a research entomologist at the USDA-ARS research facility in Brookings, SD. Although interested in all aspects of insect biology, He specializes on insect conservation and managing pests using ecological principles.