Abstract

The variability of a wide variety of characteristics, including sensitivity to biotic and abiotic environmental factors, is one of the fundamental properties of living things. This study is a continuation of the investigation of the effect of epigenetic differences on the individual resistance of plants to abiotic and biotic stresses. The aim was to investigate the connection between epigenetic polymorphism of two wheat varieties and different sensitivity to fungal infection. Diverse DNA methylation patterns of seed subpopulations with various germination times used as a marker of epigenetic polymorphism. Showed that fast-grown seed subpopulation (Podolyanka variety) which characterized with a higher level of intravariety epigenetic polymorphism, had slow development and lowered final level of fungal infection compared to slow-grown seed subpopulation. The effect observed in plants of this variety for crops of different years. Favoritka variety was characterized with a lower level of intravariety epigenetic polymorphism and shown unstable results in fungal infection of both fast- and slow-grown seed subpopulations. The data obtained indicate the importance of epigenetic mechanisms in determining the individual sensitivity of plants to phytopatogens and the role of epigenetic polymorphism as a factor contributing to the biological diversity of crops.