Crop wild relatives (CWRs) are recognized as the best potential source of traits for crop improvement. However, successful crop improvement using CWR relies on identifying variation in genes controlling desired traits in plant germplasms and subsequently incorporating them into cultivars. Epigenetic diversity may provide an additional layer of variation within CWR and can contribute novel epialleles for key traits for crop improvement. There is emerging evidence that epigenetic variants of functional and/or agronomic importance exist in CWR gene pools. This provides a rationale for the conservation of epigenotypes of interest, thus contributing to agrobiodiversity preservation through conservation and (epi)genetic monitoring. Concepts and techniques of classical and modern breeding should consider integrating recent progress in epigenetics, initially by identifying their association with phenotypic variations and then by assessing their heritability and stability in subsequent generations. New tools available for epigenomic analysis offer the opportunity to capture epigenetic variation and integrate it into advanced (epi)breeding programmes. Advances in -omics have provided new insights into the sources and inheritance of epigenetic variation and enabled the efficient introduction of epi-traits from CWR into crops using epigenetic molecular markers, such as epiQTLs.

Department of Agricultural Sciences University of Naples Federico 2 Via Università 100 80055 Portici Italy

Department of Agronomy Animal Food Natural Resources and Environment University of Padova Viale dell'Università 16 35020 Legnaro Italy

Department of Genetics Physiology and Microbiology Faculty of Biology Complutense University of Madrid 28040 Madrid Spain

Department of Life Sciences Ben Gurion University Beersheba 84105 Israel

Faculty of Agriculture Forest Science and Natural Environment Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki GR54006 Greece

Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources National Research Council Via Università 133 80055 Portici Italy

Institute of Evolution University of Haifa Abba Khoushy Ave 199 3498838 Haifa Israel

Institute of Experimental Botany Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research Czech Acad Sci Šlechtitelů 31 779 00 Olomouc Czech Republic

Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops Maksima Gorkog 30 21000 Novi Sad Serbia

Sequentia Biotech SL Carrer de València 08009 Barcelona Spain

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