RNA interference studies have provided new opportunities for high-efficiency and high-throughput technology for gene suppression in plants with an aim to achieve desirable traits. RNAi which is a conserved mechanism of post transcriptional gene silencing have advantage for functional genomics. RNA construct can easily target to specific gene from any background in a dominant manner by initiating sequence specific RNA degradation pathways. Gene silencing in either way such as tissue specific silencing, induc ible silencing or host delivered RNAi demonstrated to serve as a defense mechanism for an improvement of crops against nematodes, bacteria, fungi, insect, pest, parasitic weeds, and viruses. Many breeding goals have been achieved in different crops which were nightmares in the past for the researchers. But the advent of new technology has paved the way to develop resistant crops to combat biotic and abiotic stresses. It also gives a hope to attain world food security, enhances nutritional quality (in terms of bio-fortification and bio-elimination) for mankind and proving itself as an ecofriendly tool for plant protection. Especially, host gene silencing hairpin RNAi is reported as more stable gene silencing strategy in plants against different pathogens and also provide protection from invasion by foreign nucleic acid. Key Words: RNA Interference, Crop Breeding, RNAi Mechanism, Diseases, Crop Improvement.
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