LAUSR

Sogatella furcifera is one of the most serious insect pests that affect rice in Asia. One class of small RNAs (sRNAs; ~22 nt long) is miRNAs, which participate in various biological processes by regulating the expression of target genes in a spatiotemporal manner. However, the role of miRNAs in nymph‐to‐adult transition in S. furcifera remains unknown. In this study, we sequenced sRNA libraries of S. furcifera prepared from individuals at three different developmental stages (pre‐moult, moulting and early adult). A total of 253 miRNAs (134 known and 119 novel) were identified, of which 12 were differentially expressed during the nymph‐to‐adult developmental transition. Moreover, Real time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR) analysis revealed that all 12 miRNAs were differentially expressed among five different nymph tissues and 14 different developmental stages (first to fifth instar nymphs and 1‐day‐old adults). Injection of miR‐2a‐2 mimic/antagomir and miR‐305‐5p‐1 mimic/antagomir into 1‐day‐old fifth instar nymphs significantly increased the mortality rate. In addition, a defective moulting phenotype was observed in nymphs injected with miR‐2a‐2 and miR‐305‐5p‐1, suggesting that these miRNAs are involved in S. furcifera nymph–adult transition. In conclusion, these results reveal the function of critical miRNAs in S. furcifera nymph–adult transition, and also provide novel potential targets of insecticides for the long‐term sustainable management of S. furcifera.