Epigenetic memory and systemic priming: an emerging framework for cold-resilient crops

Climate change is intensifying the threat of unseasonal low-temperature stress, highlighting the need for understanding isolated pathways to implementing integrated biotechnological solutions. This review synthesizes a proposed hierarchical signaling network that may mediate cold acclimation, beginning with plasma membrane rigidification, which is decoded by an expanded range of CBL-CIPK calcium sensors. We discuss how this signal converges on a dynamically regulated ICE1-CBF-COR transcriptional hub, fine-tuned by a WRKY-phytohormone regulatory layer. We highlight recent evidence of epigenetic mechanisms, including dynamic DNA methylation and histone modifications, as the key mechanisms contributing to transcriptional plasticity and the establishment of stress memory, including potential intergenerational and transgenerational effects. Furthermore, we also discuss the emerging evidence of systemic priming resilience, orchestrated by mobile signals including microRNA-encoded peptides (miPEPs) and green leaf volatiles (GLVs), which prime distal tissues via hormonal cross talk. Decoding this circuitry, from sensor to systemic signal, integrating these mechanisms offers promising avenues for enhancing cold tolerance in crops. We conclude by evaluating cutting-edge biotechnological applications, such as CRISPR-mediated epigenome editing and GLV-based bio-priming, offering a promising pathway to stabilize yields and enhance the sustainability of global food systems.