Harnessing Epigenetic Phenomena for Crop Breeding and Production
A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Breeding and Genetics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 4402
Special Issue Editors
2. School Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
Interests: crop epigenetics; comparative genomics; G × E interaction; recombination; trait genetics; informatics and ontologies
2. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Interests: epigenetics; polyploidy; comparative genomics; stress physiology
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Managing cultivar-specific interactions with environment remains a major challenge for crop production. Epigenetics generally refers to changes in gene expression not resulting from alterations in the primary DNA sequence, with many fundamental mechnisms identified and characterised in plants. This includes epigenetic marks of genomic DNA methylation and histone modification that affect chromatin conformation and are involved in processes such as RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM), programmed demethylation, parental imprinting and transposon activation/deactivation. Meanwhile, diverse developmental and response phenomena are affected by processes such as miRNA and lncRNA signalling and regulation, and RNAi interference.
Many crop plants have complex genomes of polyploid origin, a high load of transposons and DNA methylation, and have evolved to co-opt epigenetic processes into various aspects of development, mediating responses to environmental cues. Whilst epigenetics has become integral to understanding and managing numerous human conditions and diseases, progress has been slower in translating insights into practical outcomes for crop breeding and production.
Within this issue, we aim to highlight how translational research may contribute to the development of resilient and responsive crop cultivars, as well as epigenetic interventions that may become integral to crop production and protection. We therefore call for papers that represent the range of current and potential opportunities within this active research field.
Prof. Dr. Graham J. King
Dr. Stephen Robinson
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- crop epigenetics
- transposons
- epigenomic selection
- DNA methylation
- RNAi
- miRNA
- lncRNA
- genotype × environment interaction
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