Epigenetics in plants: monitoring applications in green biotechnology

The Netherlands Commission on Genetic Modification (COGEM) commissioned a study to gain insight in the developments in the field of epigenetic research in plant breeding.

Epigenetics in biology studies how developmental and environmental factors, including biotic and abiotic factors, influence gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence. This report summarises the current knowledge on epigenetic modifications in plants, including the known types of modification, their regulation, addition and removal, and their effects on gene expression in plants. The focus was specifically on current and future applications in green biotechnology, and the use of molecular techniques and tools in agriculture, plant production and sustainability.

Research into epigenetic modification for crop improvement is progressing rapidly, but with a few exceptions, its application outside the model plant Arabidopsis remains limited.

The research report can be found under the ‘download publication’ button.