Aug 2026· Frontiers in Genome Editing· Vol 8· 0 citations· 169 references
TL;DR
How recent advances in breeding strategies, functional genomics and genome-editing technologies, particularly CRISPR-based approaches, are providing new opportunities to enhance reproductive resilience to heat stress is discussed.
Abstract
Heat stress represents one of the most severe abiotic constraints to rice (
Oryza sativa
L.) productivity and is expected to intensify under ongoing climate change, particularly affecting the reproductive phase and leading to substantial yield and grain quality losses. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the impacts of heat stress on rice reproduction, with a focus on both male and female reproductive structures and their interactions. Evidence from anatomical, physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic studies to describe how elevated temperatures disrupt key reproductive processes, including microsporogenesis, anther dehiscence, pollen viability, pollen-pistil interactions, fertilisation, and embryo sac development were integrated in this review. It further discusses the genotype-dependent differences in reproductive thermotolerance; and key genes, metabolites, and pathways associated with heat stress perception, signalling, and tolerance are highlighted. Finally, it is briefly discussed how recent advances in breeding strategies, functional genomics and genome-editing technologies, particularly CRISPR-based approaches, are providing new opportunities to enhance reproductive resilience to heat stress and how it is essential to close the existing molecular knowledge gaps in the development of heat-tolerant rice varieties capable of sustaining productivity in a warming climate.
Future progress will depend on robust functional validation of key regulators, integration of multi-omics data with predictive breeding models, and broadening the genetic base of heat tolerance to sustain rice production under warming climates.
A. Saha, Aditya Pratap Singh, Debashis Paul et al.· Plant Molecular Biology Repo...· 0 citations
A genomics‐enabled roadmap for developing heat‐resilient rice cultivars under intensifying global warming and supporting sustainable global rice production is outlined.
Prabhat Rana, Chanderkant Chaudhary, Rajat Pruthi et al.· The Plant Genome· 0 citations
By connecting stress biology with translational breeding, this review provides a framework for developing climate-resilient Brassica cultivars by synthesizing recent progress in abiotic stress tolerance from physiological, genetic, epigenetic, and multi-omics perspectives.
S. Peng, Ming-Liang Jiang, Xiao-Nan Li· Horticulturae· 0 citations
Persistent global warming significantly impacts crop phenology and productivity, with perennial fruit trees facing heightened challenges due to their long life cycles and complex heat stress accumulation. Apple and pear, which hold substantial economic and nutritional value, are particularly vulnerable to high temperatures, manifesting as accelerated phenology, impaired floral organ development, disrupted pollination and fertilization, and insufficient fruit coloration—all of which severely compromise fruit quality and commercial value. Although recent advances have been made in elucidating heat stress signal transduction and regulatory networks in model plants such as Arabidopsis and rice, research on heat stress responses in apple and pear remains limited. This review systematically synthesizes the physiological responses, gene expression regulation, and protective cultivation strategies under high-temperature stress in apple and pear, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation for thermotolerance breeding and the establishment of heat stress regulatory networks, thereby supporting sustainable production in the context of global warming.
Gang-gang Niu, Yue Yao, Longfei Li et al.· Plants· 0 citations
Global warming has increased the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events, threatening crop productivity and food security. Plant reproductive development is particularly vulnerable to high temperature, and even brief heat episodes can markedly reduce seed set. Heat stress disrupts multiple reproductive stages, including flowering, male and female gametophyte development, pollination, fertilization, and early seed development. Thus, reproductive thermotolerance requires coordinated regulation across developmental stages and tissue systems. In this review, we synthesize current knowledge of how high temperature affects plant reproduction from floral initiation to seed formation and summarize the underlying molecular mechanisms, including heat sensing, proteostasis, redox regulation, metabolism, and hormonal control. We further discuss strategies for improving reproductive heat resilience through breeding, biotechnology, and crop management. By framing reproductive thermotolerance as an integrated property of cellular and tissue homeostasis, this review provides a conceptual foundation for future mechanistic studies and for developing crops better adapted to a warming climate.
Jing-Wen Chu, Shu Chang, Hong-Ju Li· New Phytologist· 0 citations
As global temperatures increase, heat stress has become a key limiting factor affecting crop yield and quality. Against the backdrop of growing global food demand and increasingly frequent extreme high-temperature events, this dual pressure poses a threat to global food security. This review systematically analyzes the physiological effects of heat on major crops, focusing on source-sink relationships and nutrient transport processes. We summarize key heat-related genes identified in these crops through forward and reverse genetic approaches, elucidating the mechanisms underlying heat signal perception and transduction across genetic, transcriptional, protein, metabolic, cell membrane, nuclear, and organellar levels. Furthermore, we explore the complex crosstalk between heat and other abiotic/biotic stresses in crops. Finally, we discuss current challenges and future avenues for breeding heat-resilient crops to ensure stable agricultural productivity.
Liangxing Guo, Junxiang Ruan, Qin Yu et al.· Journal of Integrative Plant...· 0 citations
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