Abstract: RNA interference (RNAi) refers to the phenomenon of high-efficiency and specific degradation of homologous mRNA induced by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which is ubiquitous and evolutionarily conserved in eukaryotes. RNAi technology, as a major scientific achievement at the beginning of the 21st century, is currently widely used in disease prevention, gene function research, plant improvement and breeding and other fields. RNAi technology is often combined with transgenic technology for plant improvement and breeding, and agricultural biotechnology products satisfying production needs are created through different vector designs or action pathways. In order to clarify the progress on breeding technology of transgenic plants based on RNAi technology, the research progress of the discovery and mechanism of RNAi phenomenon, the design of transgenic vectors and the delivery methods of small RNA (sRNA) were reviewed. And the research examples and commercialization of transgenic plants based on RNAi technology were also elaborated, with a view to providing reference for related research, thus exerting the maximum application value of RNAi technology and serving the agricultural development in the new era.

Key words: RNAi breeding, vector design, inverted repeat, artificial miRNA, RNA-directed DNA methylation

摘要： RNA干扰（RNA interference，RNAi）是指由双链RNA（double-stranded RNA，dsRNA）诱发同源mRNA高效特异性降解的现象，在真核生物中普遍存在且进化保守。RNAi技术作为21世纪初的重大科学成就，目前被广泛应用于疾病防治、基因功能研究、植物改良育种等领域。RNAi技术常与转基因技术结合用于植物改良育种，通过不同的载体设计或作用途径来研发满足生产需要的农业生物技术产品。为了明确现阶段基于RNAi技术的转基因植物育种技术进展，综述了RNAi现象的发现和作用机制、转基因载体设计、小RNA（small RNA，sRNA）的递送方式等方面的研究进展，并阐述了基于RNAi技术的转基因植物的研究实例和商业化情况，以期为相关研究提供参考，从而发挥RNAi技术的最大应用价值，使之服务于新时代的农业发展。

关键词: RNAi育种, 载体设计, 倒置重复, 人工miRNA, RNA介导的DNA甲基化