Methods for modifying plants with a recombinant RNA molecule

A method of increasing a plant's resistance and/or tolerance to an insect, comprising introducing into a plant a recombinant RNA molecule comprising, in 5′ to 3′ order:

• (a) a bell pepper endornavirus (BPEV) 5′ replicase recognition sequence recognized by a BPEV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP);
• (b) a cargo RNA sequence comprising:
• (i) an RNA sequence that forms a double-stranded RNA which suppresses expression of at least one target gene of the insect, or
• (ii) RNA encoding an insecticidal protein, or
• (iii) both (i) and (ii);
• and
• (c) a BPEV 3′ replicase recognition sequence recognized by the BPEV RDRP;
• wherein the cargo RNA sequence is heterologous to the BPEV 5′ and/or 3′ replicase recognition sequences;
• wherein the plant comprises the BPEV RDRP protein that recognizes the BPEV 5′ replicase recognition sequence and BPEV 3′ replicase recognition sequence, whereby the BPEV RDRP protein catalyzes synthesis of a synthetic endornaviral satellite RNA from the recombinant RNA molecule;
• and
• wherein the synthesis of the synthetic endornaviral satellite RNA comprising the cargo RNA sequence results in an increase in the plant's resistance and/or tolerance to the insect relative to the resistance and/or tolerance to the insect in a control plant lacking the recombinant RNA molecule.