Abstract The Solanaceae family comprises several species of flowering plants, including economically important food crops that contribute to a substantial proportion of our nutritional needs, such as Solanum tuberosum (potatoes), Solanum lycopersicum (tomatoes), Solanum melongena (eggplants), and Capsicum annuum (peppers). However, the yield and quality of vegetable crops are constrained by several endemic and emerging pests and diseases. Understanding the host defense mechanisms that govern disease susceptibility and resistance can help develop strategies to prevent yield losses and improve quality. Recently, the role of epigenetic regulation in mediating biotic stress responses has garnered attention. This review provides a comprehensive insight into recent progress in understanding epigenetic regulation that mediates biotic stress responses in solanaceous crops. The dynamic DNA methylation and histone modifications that correlate with the differential expression of defense‐responsive genes, conferring tolerance to pathogens, have been discussed. In addition, the identification of numerous microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs in the context of biotic stress, and the functional validation of a few of them, which confer tolerance against pathogens, has been elucidated. Although a few studies have analyzed epigenetic responses to biotic stress in solanaceous vegetable crops, several caveats remain, including the functional identification of immune‐responsive genes modulated by epigenetic marks and noncoding RNAs, which present an excellent opportunity to explore further the mechanisms of biotic stress response in solanaceous plants. Moreover, we also discuss epigenetic memory, which is involved in defense against subsequent infections, and transgenerational memory, which can influence the immune response of progeny.
Rajkumar et al. (Thu,) studied this question.