Molecular Plant Breeding 2025, Vol.16, No.1, 82-92 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/mpb 82 CaseStudy Open Access Research in Wheat Heat Tolerance Breeding Shuping Lang , Yanxin Ma, Shuo Yang Jiaxing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jiaxing, 314016, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: littlelsp@163.com Molecular Plant Breeding, 2025 Vol.16, No.1 doi: 10.5376/mpb.2025.16.0009 Received:13 Jan., 2025 Accepted: 19 Feb., 2025 Published: 26 Feb., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Lang et al., 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: Lang S.P., Ma Y.X., and Yang S., 2025, Research in wheat heat tolerance breeding, Molecular Plant Breeding, 16(1): 82-92 (doi: 10.5376/mpb.2025.16.0009) Abstract With the global warming, heat stress has become one of the primary factors limiting wheat yield and quality. Developing heat-tolerant wheat varieties is crucial for stabilizing wheat production and adapting to climate change. This study summarizes current progress in wheat heat tolerance breeding, analyzing the effectiveness of traditional and modern breeding technologies such as marker-assisted selection (MAS), genomic selection (GS), and gene editing. It also explores the role of omics technologies in improving wheat heat tolerance, integrating case analyses, and proposing future directions to address challenges in wheat heat tolerance breeding. The research indicates that the complexity of heat tolerance traits in wheat and their polygenic regulatory nature make it difficult for traditional breeding methods alone to effectively counteract the effects of heat stress. MAS and GS have significantly enhanced breeding efficiency, while gene editing technology provides a new pathway for precise improvement of heat tolerance genes. Additionally, the integrated application of transcriptomics, metabolomics, and proteomics has facilitated a deep understanding of heat tolerance mechanisms in wheat, promoting the identification and precise selection of candidate genes. This study provides a systematic reference for wheat heat tolerance breeding, revealing the potential of multi-technology integration in improving heat tolerance and accelerating the development of wheat varieties that can adapt to climate change, thereby offering crucial support for global food security. Keywords Wheat; Heat tolerance; Marker-assisted selection; Genomic selection; Omics integration 1 Introduction Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a staple crop that plays a crucial role in global food security, providing a significant portion of the daily caloric intake for millions of people worldwide. However, wheat production is increasingly threatened by global climate change, particularly the rising temperatures that lead to heat stress (Wang and Li, 2024). The impact of heat stress on wheat is multifaceted, affecting all stages of plant development and leading to a significant decline in yield. Heat stress during the reproductive and grain-filling phases is particularly detrimental, causing reductions in grain number, grain weight, and overall grain quality (Farooq et al., 2011; Farhad et al., 2023). The physiological and biochemical disruptions induced by heat stress include impaired photosynthesis, accelerated leaf senescence, and oxidative damage to cellular structures (Gourdji et al., 2013; Yadav et al., 2022). These changes not only reduce the plant’s ability to produce and store carbohydrates but also affect the stability and functionality of essential proteins and enzymes (Farooq et al., 2011; Gourdji et al., 2013). At the physiological level, heat stress disrupts key processes such as photosynthesis and respiration, leading to reduced biomass accumulation and grain yield (Farooq et al., 2011; Gourdji et al., 2013). The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under heat stress conditions causes oxidative damage to cellular components, including chloroplasts and membranes, further impairing plant growth and productivity (Gourdji et al., 2013; Lal et al., 2021). Molecular responses to heat stress involve the activation of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and other stress-responsive genes that help protect cellular structures and maintain metabolic functions (Farooq et al., 2011; Lal et al., 2021). Advances in omics technologies, such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, have provided deeper insights into the complex regulatory networks underlying heat stress tolerance in wheat (Lal et al., 2021; Yadav et al., 2022). Given the significant impact of heat stress on wheat production, breeding heat-tolerant wheat varieties has become a critical priority for ensuring food security in a warming climate. Traditional breeding methods, combined with modern biotechnological approaches, have been employed to develop wheat genotypes with enhanced heat
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