Genome-Wide ncRNA Profiling in Response to Environmental Challenges: Insights and Applications

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are abundant RNA molecules and with no protein encoding potential. ncRNAs play a crucial role as regulatory molecules in different fundamental biological processes, operating at the levels of transcription, post-transcription, and epigenetics. Computational and experimental methods have made significant progress in the discovery of a large number of ncRNAs in plants. ncRNAs play a crucial role in regulating plant growth, development, and their ability to withstand stressful conditions. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the current research progress on ncRNAs in plants to diverse environmental constrains. Our main objective is to provide a concise overview of the latest advancements in comprehending the regulatory function of ncRNAs in various plant responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. In addition, we examine the function of ncRNA in relation to nutrient stress and its potential to enhance plants’ ability to withstand abiotic stress. Due to the significant importance of ncRNAs in a range of biological processes, it is necessary to establish a connection between the observable traits (phenotype) and the genetic makeup (genotype) of these plants.