AGRICULTURAL EPIGENETICS

Plants are crucial in our life because they supply us with oxygen, food, and medicines. Hence, it is important to examine the mechanisms that plants have evolved to adapt to diverse environments, and in particular how crop species deal with different types of biotic and abiotic stress. Agriculture around the world faces a myriad of problems: Pests, weeds, random and extreme weather, and drought. While none of these issues are new several of them are being exacerbated. Techniques like genetic engineering, artificial selection, and mutagenesis have made great strides in producing crops with novel or enhanced genes that can tackle these issues.

Hereditary adjustments happen normally and farmers have been taking advantage of this for centuries by developing plants with alluring characteristics. However, modifying genomes that specialize in the identity of genes can’t be the sole solution; a varied approach is required to handle these problems. One idea that has been investigated for improvement in crops without editing their DNA using epigenetics. The study of epigenetics deals with heritable changes in trait variations that are not caused by alterations in DNA sequence. DNA methylation, histone modification and RNA interference are the commonly used mechanisms for epigenetic gene regulation in plants. Once these changes are established, it is possible for them to be inherited from one generation to the next.

   

Researchers have found that by using epigenetic changes to one gene which is involved with DNA replication, tomatoes show robust yield increase. Other research has focused on developing crops with enhanced nutrient profiles. In a similar way as golden rice, epigenetic changes could lead to more nutritious crops that are fortified with more vitamins. Thus the researches into epigenetics are expanding and it could be a vital tool for agriculture.

For more visit: https://agriculture.foodtechconferences.com/