Silencing of M. persicae MpC002 or Rack-1 by N. benthamiana-mediated RNAi reduces aphid fecundity.

(A) MpC002 and Rack-1 expression is down-regulated in aphids fed on N. benthamiana leaves transiently producing MpC002 and Rack-1 RNAs. Aphids fed on transgenic N. benthamiana leaf discs for 17 days were harvested and analyzed for down-regulation of MpC002 and Rack-1 by qRT-PCR. Data shown are means ± standard errors of three biological replicates with n = 3 per replicate. Asterisk indicates significant difference in treatments compared to dsGFP (Student's t-test, n = 3, p<0.05) (B) MpC002 and Rack-1-silenced M. persicae are less fecund. The numbers of nymphs produced by the aphids analyzed for down-regulation of MpC002 and Rack-1 in A were counted and compared to the nymphs produced from aphids fed on the dsGFP transgenic N. benthamiana leaf discs. Data shown are average number of nymphs produced per adult aphid with means ± standard errors of six biological replicates with n = 4–6 per replicate. Asterisk indicates significant difference in treatments compared to dsGFP (ANOVA, n = 4–6, p<0.05).