Scientists have discovered a natural method of transmitting genes from plants to insects. The study was published in the journal Nature.
Whiteflies have assimilated plant genes to neutralize toxins secreted by them in the body. As a result, whiteflies can feed on grain plants better than other insects. It is noteworthy that the gene transfer occurred millions of years ago.
If this gene is discovered and then "turned off," the food chain may change plants' favor. Whiteflies will become vulnerable to poison, resulting in much less damage to agriculture. It should be noted that whiteflies can transmit more than a hundred viruses into plants.
Cases of gene transfer from insects to bacteria or fungi have previously been known. Gene transfer from plants to insects has been observed for the first time now by scientists at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
