The role of epigenetics in tomato stress adaptation
Marianne Delarue, Moussa Benhamed, Sotirios Fragkostefanakis
Abstract
Climate change poses a major challenge to agriculture, affecting crop production through shifting weather patterns and an increase in extreme conditions such as heat waves, droughts, and floods, all of which are further compounded by biotic stress factors. Tomatoes, a vital dietary staple and significant agricultural product worldwide, are particularly susceptible to these changes. The need for developing climate-resilient tomato varieties is more urgent than ever to ensure food security. Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, play essential roles in gene expression regulation. These modifications can affect plant traits and responses to environmental stresses, enabling tomatoes to maintain productivity despite variable climates or disease pressures. Tomato, as a model plant, offers valuable insights into the epigenetic mechanisms underlying fruit development and responses to stress. This review provides an overview of key discoveries regarding to tomato response and resilience mechanisms related to epigenetics, highlighting their potential in breeding strategies to enhance tomato resilience against both abiotic and biotic challenges, thereby promoting sustainable agricultural practices in the context of global climate change. • Histone modifications alter chromatin structure and gene accessibility, allowing the timely response of tomato to stress conditions. • miRNAs and lncRNAs fine-tune gene expression, playing essential roles in tomato tolerance against heat and drought. • Leveraging epigenetic modifications can develop tomato varieties with high yields under adverse environmental conditions. • Detailed mapping of the tomato epigenome under stress conditions can identify key regions and guide breeding programs.