Biotechnological Innovations in Insect Pest Management: From RNAi to CRISPR

DOI: 10.22161/ijeab.111.12

Abstract:
The increasing resistance of insect pests to conventional chemical insecticides, coupled with environmental and human health concerns, has necessitated the development of innovative and sustainable pest management strategies. In this context, biotechnological approaches have emerged as powerful tools for precise and eco-friendly insect pest control. This review comprehensively examines recent advances in biotechnological innovations for insect pest management, with a particular focus on RNA interference (RNAi) and CRISPR-Cas–based genome editing technologies. RNAi has demonstrated significant potential through sequence-specific gene silencing, offering targeted pest suppression with minimal non-target effects, although challenges related to delivery efficiency, stability, and resistance development remain. CRISPR-Cas technology represents a transformative advancement, enabling precise genome modifications for functional genomics, population suppression, gene drive systems, and the development of pest-resistant crop varieties. In addition to RNAi and CRISPR, the review highlights complementary biotechnological tools such as transgenic crops expressing insecticidal proteins, marker-assisted selection, and symbiont-mediated pest control strategies. The regulatory, biosafety, and ethical considerations associated with the deployment of these technologies are also discussed. Finally, the review emphasizes future prospects and research priorities for integrating biotechnological innovations into integrated pest management (IPM) programs to achieve sustainable and resilient agricultural production. Overall, the advancements discussed underscore the critical role of biotechnology in shaping the next generation of insect pest management strategies.

Keywords:
Insect pest management; Biotechnology; Bacillus thuringiensis; Transgenic crops; RNA interference (RNAi); CRISPR/Cas9; Host plant resistance; Integrated pest management

Article Info:
Received: 08 Jan 2026; Received in revised form: 09 Jan 2026; Accepted: 14 Feb 2025; Available online: 21 Feb 2026

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