Aug 2026· Integrative Plant Biotechnology· 0 citations· 83 references
Abstract
Global agriculture faces a 2050 "perfect storm": rising temperatures, elevated CO2, and compound climate stresses – heatwaves, flash droughts, and floods – that cause non-linear yield losses. The Green revolution paradigm of maximizing yield potential (Yp) is no longer sufficient. We argue that the primary breeding target must shift decisively to yield stability (Ys): consistent performance across volatile and non-analog environments. Unlike prior trait-focused reviews that catalog physiological mechanisms without breeder-ready deployment tools, here we provide a breeder-ready roadmap of 20 keystone physiological traits, each with its genetic target, validated marker, donor germplasm, heritability, yield penalty, and deployment timeline. Traits such as SUB1A (submergence), HKT1;5 (salt exclusion), and DRO1 (deep rooting) are ready for immediate marker-assisted introgression. We highlight that the time and cost for modern breeding methods are reducing i.e., marker-assisted backcrossing (2–3 years; $1.50–$5.00 per marker), genomic selection (3–5 years; $15–$40 per sample), and speed breeding (reducing cycles by up to 60%). Critically, the regulatory landscape is diverging while the United States maintains a streamlined, notification-only process for transgene-free edits, the European Union has recently adopted a new framework (April 2026) that classifies gene-edited plants into two categories, aiming to reduce the historic $15M+ barrier for category-1 equivalents. This roadmap is distinctive in its direct translation of 100 physiological traits into 20 deployable keystone targets, with explicit genetic resources, cost timelines, and regulatory pathways, making it an actionable plan rather than a theoretical framework. We conclude with time-bound milestones: universal genotyping for all MAS-ready traits by 2030, harmonization of global regulatory pathways by 2035, and broad-scale genomic prediction deployment by 2040. The roadmap is not merely a beginning; it is an actionable plan for global food security.
Drought constitutes one of the most pervasive abiotic constraints limiting global crop productivity, with its frequency and intensity projected to increase substantially under ongoing climate change. This narrative review synthesises contemporary evidence on the genetic, physiological, and agronomic dimensions of drought resilience in major food crops, drawing on peer-reviewed literature published primarily between 2000 and 2026. Physiologically, drought impairs stomatal conductance, suppresses photosynthetic carbon assimilation, disturbs osmotic equilibrium, and restricts root-mediated water acquisition, with reproductive stages being disproportionately vulnerable. At the genetic level, the deployment of quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, transcription-factor engineering, CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, and the overexpression of stress-responsive functional genes has opened novel avenues for enhancing tolerance without compromising yield potential. Breeding programmes have increasingly integrated marker-assisted selection (MAS) and genomic selection to accelerate genetic gain, whilst high-throughput phenotyping platforms now enable rapid assessment of drought-adaptive traits at a population scale. Agronomic strategies, including deficit irrigation, conservation tillage, intercropping, and application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), provide complementary levers for sustaining productivity under water-limited conditions. Emerging integrative approaches that combine multi-omics, digital precision agriculture, and policy-enabled climate-smart frameworks are highlighted as critical pathways for translating laboratory and field insights into scalable solutions. The review identifies persistent knowledge gaps—including the limited translation of genomic advances to smallholder contexts and the underexplored potential of microbiome engineering—and calls for a convergence of disciplinary expertise, equitable technology transfer, and coherent policy support to achieve drought-resilient food systems globally.
B. Santhosh, V. Sanjivkumar, H. B. Gowda et al.· Journal of Advances in Biolo...· 0 citations
Soybean (
Glycine max
L.) is the world's most important oilseed crop, supplying 25% of world‘s edible oil and 66% of feed protein. This review address genomic innovations to overcome yield constraints and climate vulnerability (especially drought stress) in high‐oil soybean breeding. Global edible oil demand will rise 30% by 2025, but modern varieties lack sufficient stress tolerance and suffer from the oil‐protein trade‐off (1% oil gain = 1.5% protein loss), drought‐induced yield losses of 10%–20%, and restrictive GMO policies that reduce exports by 15%. We define clear breeding targets: oil concentration, seed yield, oil yield, and meal protein, with acceptable trade‐off thresholds (≤ 5% protein loss, no yield penalty). Key advances include CRISPR/Cas9 editing of
GmFAD2/GmWRI1
(75% higher oleic acid), genomic selection (79% accuracy), AI phenotyping (95% precision), and multi‐omics (20% oil profile improvement). The framework enhances climate‐smart production (a 30%–40% reduction in environmental impact) and addresses regulatory hurdles. Future directions focus on precision editing, multi‐environment trials, AI pipelines, and policy harmonization to increase farmer profitability by 15% and meet 25% of biodiesel demand by 2030.
M. Rehman, Muhammad Azam, M. Ahsan et al.· Legume Science· 0 citations
Rising global temperatures, shifting precipitation regimes, and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide are altering the geographic ranges, phenology, and population dynamics of insect pests that damage the world's major food crops. This review synthesises evidence on the physiological mechanisms, observed range shifts, and projected redistribution of agriculturally important insect species under contemporary and future climate scenarios. Poleward and altitudinal expansions have already been documented across multiple pest taxa, with average latitudinal displacement rates in the low single-digit kilometres per year, and modelling studies project further acceleration under mid- and high-emission trajectories. Case evidence from fall armyworm, cotton leafworm, maize stemborers, and several rice pests illustrates how thermal tolerance, developmental plasticity, and host-plant availability jointly determine the pace and direction of range change. Elevated carbon dioxide modifies host-plant nutritional and defensive chemistry in ways that can either suppress or, in some circumstances, enhance herbivore performance, complicating simple temperature-based forecasts. Economic assessments indicate that warming-driven increases in insect-mediated crop losses could reach double-digit percentage increases per degree Celsius for staple cereals, disproportionately affecting temperate breadbasket regions, while invasive insects already impose costs exceeding tens of billions of US dollars annually worldwide. Species distribution modelling, mechanistic niche models, and hybrid approaches are increasingly used to anticipate these shifts, though model uncertainty, incomplete occurrence data, and neglect of biotic interactions remain persistent limitations. The review closes by identifying priority research directions, drawing overall conclusions for policy and practice, and acknowledging the methodological limitations inherent to a narrative synthesis of a rapidly evolving evidence base.
Omprakash Tetarwal, Rajendra Ghanswa, Nemichand Chopra et al.· Journal of global agricultur...· 0 citations
Drought increasingly constrains global wheat production, reducing photosynthetic capacity, accelerating senescence, and shortening grain-filling periods. This review analyses current knowledge on physiological responses (root architecture, reactive oxygen species dynamics, photosystem stability, and abscisic acid signaling) and evaluates agronomic, chemical, nutritional, and genetic countermeasures that aim to protect yield under water deficit. We compare evidence from controlled experiments and field trials to assess which interventions deliver consistent yield benefits, and we highlight trade-offs between water conservation and carbon assimilation. Root traits that access deeper soil moisture, robust antioxidant systems, and balanced hormonal regulation emerge as key biological targets; meanwhile, seed priming, targeted nutrient management, and selected biochemical treatments show promise as near-term, scalable practices. Genetic approaches, including marker-assisted selection and introgression of drought-adaptive alleles, offer longer-term gains but require multi-environment validation. We identify gaps in cross-scale evidence, notably a shortage of multi-location, farmer-level trials that quantify the cost-effectiveness and environmental safety of chemical agents. Finally, we propose an integrated research agenda combining trait-based breeding, optimized nutrient regimes, and pragmatic agronomy to improve wheat resilience to drought. Implementing coordinated strategies across breeding and management is essential to sustain wheat yields as climate variability intensifies.
Rei Waki, Chayara Salsabila, Kiyoka Sakamoto et al.· BIO Web of Conferences· 0 citations
Understanding how terrestrial plant functional strategies (Competitive, Stress-tolerant, Ruderal; CSR) respond to environmental conditions is crucial for predicting ecosystem dynamics under global climate change, yet remains unexplored at the global community level. Leveraging a machine learning approach, and utilizing multi-source satellite remote-sensing and field-collected sPlotOpen measurements data, we generated the first global community-level map of CSR functional strategy variations. Results show that S-selected strategies are globally dominant (C: S: R = 23.66 : 62.40 : 13.94%), with substantial spatial variations across biomes. This variability is strongly influenced by climatic variables (e.g. mean annual precipitation, diurnal temperature range) and soil properties (e.g. cation exchange capacity, total nitrogen). Future projections show that climate change favours S- (+0.33%) and R- (+0.31%) at the expense of C-selected strategy (-0.64%), alongside marked biome-specific shifts. Despite potential underestimation of localized climate uncertainties, these findings provide critical insights into global plant community dynamics under challenging abiotic conditions.
Jing Wang, Simon Pierce, Yuanzhi Li et al.· National Science Review· 0 citations
With the escalating impacts of climate change, drought stress (DS) is significantly decreasing water accessibility and availability, causing substantial direct and indirect economic repercussions within agricultural systems. Addressing the needs of a growing global population necessitates urgent advancements in breeding DS-tolerant crops while maintaining high yields. This urgency demands a fast and adaptable defensive strategy to mitigate the adverse effects of DS on crop productivity. Accelerating such developments requires leveraging advanced omics-assisted breeding (e.g., genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics), genetic engineering (e.g., transgenic technology, and genome editing), machine learning, precise phenotyping, crop wild relatives, and speed breeding. These fast-forward methods present highly promising avenues for the design of future crops that can withstand DS pressures. In summary, we propose an innovative approach termed the “OGS trio,” which encompasses omics integration, genetic engineering, and speed breeding. This trio stands composed to transform efforts against DS, offering significant potential for developing drought-tolerant crops to achieve and food security amidst climate change.
A. Raza, Sidra Charagh, K. Siddique et al.· Agriculture & Food Security· 0 citations
A new method for surgically removing training examples from a model reveals that as datasets grow, the link between what a model learns and what it produces dissolves.
MIT News · Artificial Intelligence· news.mit.eduAug 17, 2026
