Plant and Animal Genome XXV Conference

January 13 - 18, 2017

4204

EPIC: the Plant Epigenome Project

A new era in agriculture has been made possible by advances in DNA sequencing technologies that have determined the genome sequences of many crop and model plants, providing a primary genetic code for what makes that species unique. But a second code, comprised of “epigenetic” layers of information, is critical for accessing and executing the genetic code, just as operating systems are needed to access the information content of our computers and execute specific tasks. Unlike computer codes, nature’s second code is enigmatic, and must be deciphered to fully understand and optimize the genetic potential of crop plants. The goal of the Epigenomics of Plant International Consortium (EPIC) is to crack this second code, and help catalyze the new green revolution.