A systematic review on public perceptions of RNAi-based biopesticides: Developing Social Licence to Operate
Abstract Agriculture is fundamental to ensuring humanity’s food and fibre security. Synthetic pesticides pose challenges due to resistance, emissions, toxicity, and harm to beneficial organisms. A novel approach involves RNA-based biopesticides, eliciting an RNA interference (RNAi) response via topi...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | npj Sustainable Agriculture |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-025-00057-1 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850207817950035968 |
|---|---|
| author | Raquel Tardin-Coelho Stephen Fletcher Narelle Manzie Sandya Nishanthi Gunasekara Pedro Fidelman Neena Mitter Peta Ashworth |
| author_facet | Raquel Tardin-Coelho Stephen Fletcher Narelle Manzie Sandya Nishanthi Gunasekara Pedro Fidelman Neena Mitter Peta Ashworth |
| author_sort | Raquel Tardin-Coelho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Agriculture is fundamental to ensuring humanity’s food and fibre security. Synthetic pesticides pose challenges due to resistance, emissions, toxicity, and harm to beneficial organisms. A novel approach involves RNA-based biopesticides, eliciting an RNA interference (RNAi) response via topical application of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), avoiding genetic modification. However, potential issues surrounding RNAi, including policy controversies and regulatory gaps, may affect public perception and acceptance of topical RNAi, impacting the acquisition of a social licence to operate (SLO). This qualitative systematic literature review examines public perceptions of RNAi-based biopesticides, the associated policy considerations and their implications for developing an SLO. The results show that factors influencing public perceptions and SLO emphasise human and environmental safety and costs, including also off-target impacts, degradability, protection window, resistance, toxicity, and ethical and cultural considerations. Finally, we discuss strategies from social science literature for RNAi-biopesticides to achieve an SLO towards sustainability, enhancing food safety and productivity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f9292353b4e542158a2f4ea05a4d73d3 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2731-9202 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Sustainable Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj-art-f9292353b4e542158a2f4ea05a4d73d32025-08-20T02:10:23ZengNature Portfolionpj Sustainable Agriculture2731-92022025-03-01311810.1038/s44264-025-00057-1A systematic review on public perceptions of RNAi-based biopesticides: Developing Social Licence to OperateRaquel Tardin-Coelho0Stephen Fletcher1Narelle Manzie2Sandya Nishanthi Gunasekara3Pedro Fidelman4Neena Mitter5Peta Ashworth6Curtin Institute for Energy Transition, Curtin University, BentleyCentre for Horticultural Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St LuciaCentre for Horticultural Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St LuciaCentre for Policy Futures, The University of Queensland, St LuciaCentre for Policy Futures, The University of Queensland, St LuciaCentre for Horticultural Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St LuciaCurtin Institute for Energy Transition, Curtin University, BentleyAbstract Agriculture is fundamental to ensuring humanity’s food and fibre security. Synthetic pesticides pose challenges due to resistance, emissions, toxicity, and harm to beneficial organisms. A novel approach involves RNA-based biopesticides, eliciting an RNA interference (RNAi) response via topical application of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), avoiding genetic modification. However, potential issues surrounding RNAi, including policy controversies and regulatory gaps, may affect public perception and acceptance of topical RNAi, impacting the acquisition of a social licence to operate (SLO). This qualitative systematic literature review examines public perceptions of RNAi-based biopesticides, the associated policy considerations and their implications for developing an SLO. The results show that factors influencing public perceptions and SLO emphasise human and environmental safety and costs, including also off-target impacts, degradability, protection window, resistance, toxicity, and ethical and cultural considerations. Finally, we discuss strategies from social science literature for RNAi-biopesticides to achieve an SLO towards sustainability, enhancing food safety and productivity.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-025-00057-1 |
| spellingShingle | Raquel Tardin-Coelho Stephen Fletcher Narelle Manzie Sandya Nishanthi Gunasekara Pedro Fidelman Neena Mitter Peta Ashworth A systematic review on public perceptions of RNAi-based biopesticides: Developing Social Licence to Operate npj Sustainable Agriculture |
| title | A systematic review on public perceptions of RNAi-based biopesticides: Developing Social Licence to Operate |
| title_full | A systematic review on public perceptions of RNAi-based biopesticides: Developing Social Licence to Operate |
| title_fullStr | A systematic review on public perceptions of RNAi-based biopesticides: Developing Social Licence to Operate |
| title_full_unstemmed | A systematic review on public perceptions of RNAi-based biopesticides: Developing Social Licence to Operate |
| title_short | A systematic review on public perceptions of RNAi-based biopesticides: Developing Social Licence to Operate |
| title_sort | systematic review on public perceptions of rnai based biopesticides developing social licence to operate |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-025-00057-1 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT raqueltardincoelho asystematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate AT stephenfletcher asystematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate AT narellemanzie asystematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate AT sandyanishanthigunasekara asystematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate AT pedrofidelman asystematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate AT neenamitter asystematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate AT petaashworth asystematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate AT raqueltardincoelho systematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate AT stephenfletcher systematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate AT narellemanzie systematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate AT sandyanishanthigunasekara systematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate AT pedrofidelman systematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate AT neenamitter systematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate AT petaashworth systematicreviewonpublicperceptionsofrnaibasedbiopesticidesdevelopingsociallicencetooperate |