Triticeae Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 110-119 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/tgg 110 Review and Progress Open Access Identification of Drought-Responsive QTLs in Triticeae under Field Conditions ShiyingYu Biotechnology Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, China Corresponding email: shiying.yu@cuixi.org Triticeae Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol.16, No.3 doi: 10.5376/tgg.2025.16.0012 Received: 29 Mar., 2025 Accepted: 11 May, 2025 Published: 27 May, 2025 Copyright © 2025 Yu, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Yu S.Y., 2025, Identification of drought-responsive QTLs in Triticeae under field conditions, Triticeae Genomics and Genetics, 16(3): 110-119 (doi: 10.5376/tgg.2025.16.0012) Abstract Drought stress represents a significant constraint on Triticeae crop productivity, particularly affecting wheat, barley, and rye in semi-arid regions. In this review, we systematically examine field-validated quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that are associated with drought-responsive traits in Triticeae, emphasizing their relevance to breeding programs. We begin by addressing the agricultural impact of drought stress and the limitations of controlled-environment studies compared to field-based evaluations. We then explore the methodologies used for QTL mapping under field conditions, including phenotyping strategies, statistical models, and the challenges posed by environmental heterogeneity. The review identifies key drought-responsive QTLs linked to traits such as root architecture, water-use efficiency, stay-green, canopy temperature, and grain yield components. A detailed case study on wheat highlights successful QTL discovery, validation across genetic backgrounds, and integration into elite lines via marker-assisted selection. Furthermore, we discuss how genomic resources such as high-density SNP arrays, GWAS, and transcriptomic tools are enhancing the precision of QTL identification. Looking ahead, we outline the promise of genomic selection, gene editing, and participatory breeding in accelerating the development of drought-resilient Triticeae cultivars. This study underscores the importance of multidisciplinary approaches and real-world validation in translating QTL research into sustainable agricultural outcomes under climate variability. Keywords Drought tolerance; Triticeae; QTL mapping; Field phenotyping; Marker-assisted selection 1 Introduction Wheat and barley are among the world's most important food crops, but their sensitivity to drought has always been a challenge. In recent years, the frequency and intensity of droughts have been on the rise, especially against the backdrop of climate change, which has had a considerable impact on yield and quality and posed a threat to food security (Nevo and Chen, 2010). Although there are many countermeasures, enhancing the drought resistance capacity of wheat plants from the root is still a key step for sustainable agricultural development (Shakir et al., 2025). In this regard, quantitative trait loci (QTLS) offer an entry point. In simple terms, these loci represent genomic regions associated with complex traits, such as drought resistance. Such traits are influenced by the combined effect of multiple genes and are also easily affected by the environment. Through QTL mapping and meta-QTL analysis, researchers were able to further identify those key regions related to important agronomic and physiological traits in arid environments-such as yield, root structure, photosynthetic efficiency, etc. (Kumar et al., 2020). However, for the discoveries in the laboratory to be ultimately implemented, it still depends on those robust QTLS that have been verified under field conditions (Salarpour et al., 2020), in order to truly serve breeding. Therefore, this study does not focus on all drought-resistant QTLS, but rather on those key QTLS that have been tested in the field and remain stable under different genetic backgrounds and environmental conditions. We will also integrate the information of relevant candidate genes to explore their application potential in actual breeding. Ultimately, this review aims to narrow the gap between basic genetic research and the development of drought-resistant varieties, especially in drought-prone areas.
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