Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a cornerstone of global food security, feeding over a third of the world’s population and functioning as a critical economic crop across diverse agroecological zones (FAO 2022). However, wheat production faces mounting challenges from climate volatility, resource depletion, and the pressing demand for sustainable intensification. This special issue presents seven cutting-edge studies that bridge scales from molecular mechanisms to field-level management, offering integrative solutions to enhance wheat’s resilience, productivity, and sustainability. Structured into three thematic sections, these contributions advance both fundamental understanding and practical applications for the future of wheat cultivation.
I. Stress priming for drought resilience
Drought stress during critical reproductive stages remains a primary constraint to global wheat productivity, often causing significant yield losses and quality deterioration (Simane et al. 1993). Emerging research on stress priming - where controlled pre-exposure to moderate stress enhances subsequent stress tolerance - has opened promising avenues for crop improvement (Wang et al. 2014; Li et al. 2023). The current issue presents two pivotal studies that substantially advance the fundamental understanding and practical application of priming technology in wheat systems. Li et al. (2025a) decode the molecular basis of drought priming, identifying 416 differentially expressed genes and 27 transcription factors governing hormone signaling, osmoprotection, and cuticular wax biosynthesis. These findings establish the molecular architecture of stress memory in wheat, explaining how priming induces a persistent state of enhanced drought readiness.
Li et al. (2025b) further demonstrate that priming benefits extend beyond yield protection to safeguard grain quality parameters. Primed plants maintain starch functionality, preserve protein composition balance, and minimize quality deterioration under stress conditions.
These discoveries transform priming from a physiological curiosity into a practical field solution, though challenges persist in developing cost-effective delivery systems suitable for diverse farming contexts.
II. Precision agronomy for enhanced resource efficiency
Achieving sustainable yield gains in wheat systems necessitates innovative approaches to optimizing critical resources, particularly nitrogen and water, as current approaches remain key constraints to productivity (Chen et al. 2023). Recent studies in this issue demonstrate significant advances in precision management strategies that address these challenges while maintaining yield potential.
Liang et al. (2025) elucidate the role of 24-epibras-sinolide in improving nitrogen use efficiency under limited nitrogen conditions. Their work reveals how this plant growth regulator fine-tunes fructan metabolism, reducing floret abortion and maintaining yields with less nitrogen input. This hormonal approach represents a novel pathway to overcome one of the most persistent challenges in wheat production. Complementing these findings, Guo et al. (2025) present compelling evidence through a 13-year field study that integrated soil–crop management systems can simultaneously boost yields and increase soil organic carbon annually while improving nitrogen recovery efficiency. Their detailed soil fractionation analysis yields critical insights into the microbial mechanisms underlying these improvements, offering a scientific foundation for sustainable intensification strategies.
Water scarcity, particularly in semi-arid wheat-growing regions, demands innovative irrigation solutions that maximize efficiency without compromising yield (Wasson et al. 2012). Che et al. (2025) demonstrate that deficit irrigation can reduce water use by 25%, extending photosynthetic activity and improving yield stability under water stress conditions. Similarly, Li et al. (2025c) validate the effectiveness of micro-sprinkler irrigation technology, which enhances water productivity through precise synchronization of water delivery with critical growth stages, outperforming conventional flood irrigation methods.
These studies illustrate how precision agronomy - whether hormonal regulation, soil health management, or optimized irrigation - can successfully decouple input reduction from yield penalties. The findings provide actionable insights for reducing the environmental footprint of wheat production while maintaining productivity under increasingly constrained resource availability.
III. Climate adaptation through systems modeling
The impact of climate change on wheat production systems is escalating, manifested through shifting temperature regimes, altered precipitation patterns, and changing atmospheric CO2 concentrations (Lesk et al. 2021). Traditional static models of agronomic management are increasingly ineffective under dynamic climate conditions. Preparing wheat systems for future climates demands immediate attention through adaptive strategies grounded in robust data and predictive modeling.
By integrating 10 years of comprehensive field data with robust crop simulation models, Liu et al. (2025) provide critical insights into future yield constraints under projected climate scenarios. Their analysis reveals two notable findings. First, growing degree days and solar radiation will emerge as primary yield-limiting factors in many current production regions. Second, the potential benefits of elevated CO2 concentrations are highly contingent on complementary management interventions. These results challenge simplistic assumptions about climate change impacts and underscore the need for nuanced, context-specific adaptation strategies.
The study’s most valuable contribution lies in its development and validation of a genotype×environment× management (G×E×M) framework for climate adaptation. This integrated approach transcends conventional breeding or agronomic solutions considered in isolation, emphasizing instead their synergistic interactions.
This collection exemplifies how multidisciplinary science can reconcile productivity with sustainability. Integrating discoveries from molecular biology to systems modeling generates the knowledge and tools needed to transform wheat production. The path forward demands continued innovation coupled with effective translation, ensuring that scientific breakthroughs are transformed into practical solutions for farmers worldwide. In this era of global change, such integrative approaches will define the future of sustainable agriculture.
