Plant breeding has traditionally relied on combining the genetic diversity present within a species to develop combinations of alleles that provide desired traits. Epigenetic diversity may provide additional sources of variation within a species that could be captured or created for crop improvement. It will be important to understand the sources of epigenetic variation and the stability of newly formed epigenetic variants over generations to fully use the potential of epigenetic variation to improve crops. The development and application of methods for widespread epigenome profiling and engineering may generate new avenues for using the full potential of epigenetics in crop improvement.

中文翻译：

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利用诱发和自然表观遗传变异改良作物

传统上，植物育种依靠结合物种内存在的遗传多样性来发展提供所需性状的等位基因的组合。表观遗传多样性可能会为物种内的其他物种提供更多的变异来源，这些变异可以被捕获或产生以用于作物改良。重要的是要了解表观遗传变异的来源以及历代以来新形成的表观遗传变异的稳定性，以充分利用表观遗传变异的潜力来改良作物。广泛的表观基因组分析和工程方法的开发和应用可能为利用表观遗传学在作物改良中的全部潜力开辟新途径。