Triticeae Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 110-119 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/tgg 116 7.2 CRISPR and gene editing to validate candidate genes from QTL regions A suspected key gene has been found in the QTL interval. What should be done next? In the past, verification might have relied on repeated hybridization and backcrossing, but now, gene editing tools like CRISPR have made the verification process more direct and faster. By precisely modifying a certain allele, it is possible to verify whether it is useful or not. If ideal traits are exhibited, such mutations can be introduced into existing superior germplasms without worrying about introducing other "burdens" (Singh et al., 2025). For those small QTLS with insignificant effects or when multiple drought-tolerant genes are to be superimposed simultaneously, gene editing is clearly an efficient solution (Rosero et al., 2020). However, the prerequisite is to have a clear target gene first, which still requires the support of QTL mapping and functional annotation. 7.3 Importance of participatory breeding and testing under farmer-managed fields Not all breeding achievements can be smoothly "implemented". Sometimes, some varieties perform well at experimental stations but fail to adapt to the local conditions in farmers' fields. Therefore, more and more breeding projects are beginning to attach importance to the participation of farmers. Participatory breeding is not a new concept. It emphasizes the opinions of farmers during the seed selection and testing stages, making the final selected strains more in line with local needs (Khadka et al., 2020). Especially in areas where management methods vary greatly and there are significant differences in soil and water resources, allowing new varieties to be trial-planted in real farmers' plots can more accurately reflect drought resistance performance. In addition, this approach can also protect the diversity of local germplasm and promote the development of varieties adapted to specific ecological zones, which is of great practical significance for ensuring food security. 8 Concluding Remarks Although the research on QTLS has been ongoing for many years, it is those QTLS that have been verified in field environments that have truly given us a clearer understanding of how the Triticeae family ADAPTS to drought. Especially in wheat and barley, many meta-analyses and cross-environmental field experiments have identified a considerable number of stable QTLS and meta-Qtls (MQTLS), which can all be linked to key traits such as yield, plant height, canopy temperature, and root structure under different conditions. It is worth noting that many QTLS are also overlapping and concentrated in several regions related to drought response. Most of the candidate genes in these regions are involved in stress signaling, water regulation or antioxidant mechanisms, and thus have become very practical objects for molecular marker selection in the breeding process. But then again, there are quite a few problems. Many QTLS are only effective in specific environments or genotypes, and there are actually not many that can be stably expressed under different conditions. This specificity, coupled with the fact that drought resistance is not controlled by a single gene, leads to frequent interactions between QTLS and the environment. However, there are still not many examples that can be truly applied in breeding practice. Not to mention that some candidate genes still lack precise localization and functional verification, which has also slowed down the promotion pace of drought-resistant varieties. To solve these difficult problems, it is probably necessary to adopt multiple methods simultaneously. Only by integrating genomics, high-throughput phenotyping, bioinformatics analysis, and breeding models with the actual participation of farmers can the task of "finding QTLS" be made more effective. Nowadays, many studies have begun to combine QTL localization with GWAS, transcriptome data and statistical modeling to enhance the accuracy of screening. From the laboratory to the field, from data to practice, this process cannot do without the collaboration among geneticists, breeding experts, physiological researchers, and even farmers. Only in this way can drought-resistant breeding truly run fast and bear fruit, and hold the bottom line of food security in the face of climate change. Acknowledgments I am grateful to Mr. Ma for critically reading the manuscript and providing valuable feedback that improved the clarity of the text. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The author affirms that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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