Epigenetics for Developing Abiotic Stress-Tolerant Plants: Updated Methods and Current Achievements

Abstract

The refined use of these methodologies allows for precise epigenetic manipulation, presenting a promising avenue for tailoring plants to withstand abiotic stressors, including drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures. Cutting-edge methods, such as advanced next-generation sequencing, ChIP-seq, and CRISPR-based epigenome editing, take center stage in unraveling the intricate landscape of epigenetic modifications. This chapter comprehensively examines how these tools empower researchers to decode the epigenetic language governing DNA methylation, histone modifications, and small RNA-mediated pathways. Within the context of this chapter, notable achievements in harnessing epigenetic insights to bolster abiotic stress tolerance are highlighted. These accomplishments range from the development of crops with enhanced drought resistance and salinity tolerance to those exhibiting resilience in the face of temperature extremes.