Analysis of whole genome methylation profiles of the drought sensitive and tolerant rice cultivars. Bisulphite sequencing was conducted for three tissues, panicle, flag leaf and root under control condition and drought stress.

Methylation plays an important role in plant adaptation to drought stress. The two rice cultivars, IR64 and N22, exhibit different adaptive responses to drought stress. Analysis of whole genome methylation profiles shows highly conserved methylated cytosines in different growth conditions as well as across the two cultivars. It also shows a distinct signature between the two cultivars. The two cultivars exhibit cultivar-specific sequence preferences.