Plant RNA purification, despite the added complexity of tougher plant tissue, need not be complicated. Many commercial kits and reagents are now available, specifically designed to tackle tissues of various plant species for effective extraction of total RNA. Kits come in various formats, such as in silica-based spin columns or magnetic systems capable of high throughput and automation. Purified RNA can serve as crucial starting material for downstream processes such as RT-PCR and sequencing.