Plants, as static organisms, use genetic and epigenetic mechanisms to respond to and cope with stress factors that may originate from living organisms (biotic stress) or non-living factors (abiotic stress, e.g. drought, salinity, temperature extremes, heavy metals), which negatively affect their growth, development and productivity. In response to these factors, they activate various defense mechanisms, among which epigenetic modifications play an important role, allowing plants to adapt to environmental conditions, and in certain cases they also form a stress memory that can be transmitted to subsequent generations. Key epigenetic modifications are DNA methylation, histone modification, chromatin remodeling and the function of small RNAs. These changes regulate the expression of genes involved in plant defense, metabolism and growth. Advances in epigenetic mechanisms contribute to a better understanding of plant stress responses and provide a basis for the development of epigenetic breeding, which enables targeted improvement of agriculturally important plant varieties to obtain phenotypes that are resistant to stress factors, improve water use, and reduce the impact of stress on yield and quality. At the same time, it also enables sustainable approaches in agriculture and plant interactions with other organisms, which contributes to the preservation of biodiversity and the environment.
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