| Summary: | Viroids are small (250–400 nucleotides), single-stranded, circular RNAs without protein-coding capacity that infect a large number of ornamental and crop plant species, causing high economic losses worldwide. Strategies to control viroid diseases have included the use of naturally resistant cultivars in breeding programs, the superinfection exclusion with mild strains, the expression of ribonucleases, sense or antisense (catalytic) RNAs and, more recently, RNA interference (RNAi)-based tools. Here, I review the different RNAi strategies used to control viroid infections in plants, with particular focus on highly specific artificial small RNA (art-sRNA)-based tools such as artificial microRNAs and synthetic trans-acting small interfering RNAs. The advantages and future perspectives of art-sRNA-based RNAi for controlling viroid diseases are discussed.
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