Plant phenotype is the cumulative output of combined genetic and environmental factors operating to influence plant growth and defense pathways during development

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded The Pennsylvania State University $669,441.22 on September 15, 2025, under the Grants for Agricultural Research, Special Research Grants Program (CFDA 10.200) to conduct epigenetic breeding research and field evaluation of canola crops.

The recipient will integrate a novel canola epigenetic breeding strategy with multi-site field evaluation, test genetic improvements to the system, and incorporate a genome-wide DNA methylation analysis platform for identifying molecular markers predictive of field performance. The project focuses on two canola genotypes with emphasis on measurement of epigenetic effects and applies an unusually sensitive DNA methylation platform designed for practical commercial adoption. Research activities will occur in State College, Pennsylvania, with a performance period through September 29, 2028.

The program supports research to facilitate promising breakthroughs in food and agricultural sciences. Eligible applicants include state agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, research institutions, federal agencies, private organizations, and individuals with demonstrated capacity to conduct agricultural research. Project periods do not exceed three years.

To approach complex traits such as yield or crop resilience through a singularly genetic route can be insufficient for realizing true potential gains in crop productivity. Epigenetics refers to the heritable influence of environmental and developmental signals on chromatin behavior in the plant, reflecting not so much the combination of plant genes present but how those genes are expressed. Our proposed research combinesexpertise in crop epigenetic reprogramming, RNA biology, and canola field crop evaluation to test and implement a novel commercial approach to canola production. The primary goals are 1) to integrate a novel canola epigenetic breeding strategy with meaningful, multi-site field evaluation, 2) to test potential genetic improvements to the system, and 3) to incorporate a new and unconventional DNA methylation platform for the identification of molecular markers predictive of field performance. The project focuses on two canola genotypes initially, with emphasis on measurement of epigenetic effects, and incorporates a genome-wide DNA methylation analysis platform that is highly sensitive. The technologies proposed are potentially transformative, supported by unusually robust preliminary demonstration of feasibility, and designed for practical commercial adoption .