Objective
The use of RNA interference (RNAi) to combat pest insects is anticipated to become an integral component of crop protection technology in the US and Europe by 2020. Protection against pests is conferred via double stranded RNA (dsRNA) as the active ingredient that is either externally applied to the crop or internally expressed in genetically modified crops. Following ingestion by the pest, the dsRNA is cleaved to produce small interfering RNA (siRNA), which interfere with the translation of specific mRNA into proteins. While concern has been raised that the release of dsRNA into agricultural soils and adjacent water bodies may have detrimental ecological effects, risk assessment of RNAi crop protection technology has been impaired due to the lack of information on the fate and stability of dsRNA in the environment. The objective of the proposed project is to advance a detailed understanding of dsRNA fate in agricultural soils and adjacent water bodies. To this end, three environmental processes impacting dsRNA persistence will be studied on a mechanistic level: abiotic and enzymatic dsRNA hydrolysis, adsorption of dsRNA to mineral and organic particle surfaces, and direct and indirect photolysis of dsRNA. These processes will be studied using state-of-the art dsRNA quantification methods, experimental approaches, and analytical techniques employed in the environmental sciences, material sciences, and molecular biology. The project aims at unraveling the mechanisms and main reaction pathways that control dsRNA hydrolysis, adsorption and photolysis. Through the generation of a fundamental understanding of these processes, the proposed project will lay the foundation to predict the fate and stability of dsRNA in agricultural systems. As such, the results of this proposal will allow regulatory agencies to develop dsRNA exposure scenarios in agricultural systems and thus help advance risk assessment of RNAi crop protection technology prior to its implementation.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture agronomy plant protection
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences environmental sciences
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences soil sciences edaphology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2015
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
8092 Zuerich
Switzerland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.