RNA silencing is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism in eukaryotes that control gene expression
through small RNA-guided RNA degradation, translational repression and DNA methylation. Plants have
evolved multiple small RNA pathways that have been demonstrated to play an essential role in developmental
regulation and defence against invasive nucleic acids such as transposable elements and viruses. Recent studies
have provided evidence that the different small RNA pathways play a more diverse role in plant defence against
biotic and abiotic stresses. These findings are likely to result in new platforms for engineering stress tolerant
crops in the future.