New gene drive reverses insecticide resistance in pests

Design and InstallationGarden Caregarden TriviaIndoor plantsPlant Health CareUncategorized
Written By Peter Morris

spraying insecticides - ugh!

New gene drive reverses insecticide resistance in pests... but then disappears !!!

University of California San Diego geneticists have developed a gene drive-based solution to the widespread problem of insecticide resistance. In an effort to protect valuable crops, the researchers created an 'e-Drive' that reverses insecticide resistance and then disappears from the insect population.

The self-eliminating 'e-Drive' replaces the mutant genes with native genes to reduce pesticide use and protect valuable food crops. 

Gene replacement using "alleles"

Resistance

Chemical insecticides have been used for centuries to control pest damage to valuable food crops. Eventually, over time, beetles, moths, flies and other insects develop genetic mutations that render the insecticide chemicals ineffective. 

Response

The increased resistance by these insects forces farmers to ramp up use of poisonous compounds at increasing frequencies and concentrations. This increases the risks to human health and damage to the environment since most insecticides kill both ecologically important insects as well as pests. 

New Solutions

To help counter these problems, researchers developed powerful technologies that genetically remove insecticide-resistant variant genes and replace them with the original genes that are susceptible to pesticides. These gene-drive technologies, based on CRISPR gene editing, have the potential to protect valuable crops and vastly reduce the amount of chemical pesticides required to eliminate pests. 

The main concern has always been the unknown risks of these genes once they are released into a population as they could continuously spread unchecked. Their method converts insecticide-resistant forms of mutated insect genes back to their natural, native form. The system is designed to spread the original "wild type" version of the gene and then disappear, leaving only a population of insects with the corrected version of the gene.

The researchers said that the self-eliminating nature of the e-Drive means it can be introduced and re-introduced as needed. The researchers are now also developing an e-Drive system in mosquitoes to help prevent the spread of malaria. 

We at Plant Specialists are all for using less pesticides - anywhere !

This idea for this article came from someone in our accounting team 

- even our accountants are plant people !!!

PLANT SPECIALISTS

GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 53 YEARS !

Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBA

All photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

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