Silencing the serine/threonine kinase Akt gene disrupts reproductive physiology in Sogatella furcifera and confers RNAi ‐mediated insect resistance in rice

Abstract BACKGROUND The white‐backed planthopper (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera , is a major destructive pest of rice globally. Plant‐mediated RNA‐interference (RNAi) is an innovative crop protection method where transgenic plants express insect‐specific double‐stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) to induce RNAi‐mediated gene silencing in target pests. The serine/threonine kinase Akt is a crucial component of the insulin signaling pathway, essential for controlling insect metabolism, growth, and reproduction. However, the molecular mechanism of Akt that controls vitellogenesis and oviposition in S. furcifera remains obscure. RESULT In this study, it was characterized that SfAkt encodes a 547‐amino acid protein with PH and S_TKc domains. Its messenger RNA (mRNA) expression peaked in 5‐day‐old female adults, with highest levels in the head and fat body. RNAi‐mediated knockdown of SfAkt significantly suppressed vitellogenin ( Vg ) expression and impaired ovarian development. Additionally, reducing fecundity and oviposition by over 90%, and decreasing rice damage by more than 60%. Further assessment of SfAkt utility in planta , a total of 27 transgenic rice plants were generated, with six independent transformants found to contain a single copy of the ds SfAkt expression cassette. Consumption of the three transgenic rice lines (A3, A4, A15) with the highest expression of dsRNA‐SfAkt resulted in a significant 35.4–50.0% reduction in WBPH fertility, accompanied by a noticeable decrease in damage to rice seedlings caused by WBPH. CONCLUSION These findings elucidate the critical role of SfAkt in the reproductive processes of S. furcifera . The development of transgenic rice expressing dsRNA targeting SfAkt offers a promising strategy for mitigating WBPH infestations and reducing rice crop losses. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.