Crop failure is largely caused by various climate hazards, and among them, heat stress is the primary factor hindering crop production. The significant global loss of crop yield is primarily due to heat-related damage during the reproductive phase. Terminal heat stress has been well documented in wheat, causing morphophysiological alterations, biochemical disruptions, and reduction of genetic potential. The formation of shoots and roots, the effect on the double ridge stage, and early biomass in the vegetative stage are also impacted by heat stress. The final negative outcomes of heat stress include reduced grain number and weight, slower grain filling rate, reduced grain quality, and shorter grain filling duration. Plants have developed mechanisms to adapt to heat stress through modifications in their morphological or growth responses, physiological and biochemical pathways, and changes in enzyme reactions. Numerous heat tolerance genes have been identified in wheat, but the more extensive study is needed to increase heat tolerance in crops to satisfy the food demands of the world’s growing population. The global food policy needs to prioritize and promote additional joint research and the development of heat-tolerant wheat breeding to ensure the world’s food security.

Farmers in northern and central Indian regions prefer to plant wheat early in the season to take advantage of the remaining soil moisture. By planting crops before the start of the season, it is possible to extend the time frame for spring wheat. The early-wheat-establishment experiment began in the 2017 growing season at the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA) in Ludhiana, India, and, after three years of intensive study, numerous agronomic, physiological, and yield data points were gathered. This study aimed to identify wheat lines suitable for early establishment through an analysis of the agro-morphological traits and the genetic mapping of associated genes or quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Advancing the planting schedule by two–three weeks proved to be advantageous in terms of providing a longer duration for crop growth and reducing the need for irrigation. This is attributed to the presence of residual soil moisture resulting from the monsoon season. Early sowing facilitated the selection of genotypes able to withstand early elevated temperatures and a prolonged phenological period. The ideotype, which includes increased photo-growing degree days for booting and heading, as well as a longer grain-filling period, is better suited to early planting than timely planting. Senescence was delayed in combination with a slower rate of canopy temperature rise, which was an excellent trait for early-adapted ideotypes. Thus, a novel approach to wheat breeding would include a screening of genotypes for early planting and an ideotype design with consistent and appropriate features. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) revealed multiple QTLs linked to early adaptation in terms of the yield and its contributing traits. Among them, 44 novel QTLs were also found along with known loci. Furthermore, the study discovered that the phenology regulatory genes, such as Vrn and Ppd, are in the same genomic region, thereby contributing to early adaptation.

Wheat crops ( Triticum aestivum ) that are conventionally planted may exhibit susceptibility to yellow rust (YR). However, the disease can be mitigated if the crops are planted earlier than the recommended planting time. A wheat screening experiment was carried out at the Borlaug Institute of South Asia located in Ludhiana, Punjab, India. The purpose of the study was to gain a deeper understanding of the adaptation patterns of early planted wheat. Early planting was found to be more advantageous for production potential, as well as phenology, stature, and physiological traits. In a separate experiment, each year, the same number of genotypes were screened for YR by artificially inoculating them with pathogen spores. The well‐adapted genotypes for early establishment tend to possess a greater vulnerability to YR infection. Furthermore, the infection type score for the genotype selected for early planting showed a significantly greater proportion of S (susceptible) type reactions than for the genotypes adapted to early planting. Intriguingly, more R (resistant) and moderately resistant types of reactions were observed in early‐adapted genotypes than in timely‐adapted ones. Therefore, further concentrated research on YR screening is required to assess the possibility of breeding early sown wheat in the northwest part of the Indo‐Gangetic region.

Wheat blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype Triticum (MoT), is a rapidly emerging disease threatening wheat production in South Asia and beyond. To identify novel sources of resistance and dissect the underlying genetic architecture, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using 432 diverse Bangladeshi wheat genotypes phenotyped across 14 multi-environment trials. Disease severity varied widely, with most genotypes exhibiting high susceptibility under favourable environments, although a few showed consistent resistance across locations. Genotyping of the wheat panel using ddRAD-seq revealed moderate population structure and diverse resistance allele distribution. GWAS using six different models identified a total of 1,121 significant SNPs distributed across multiple chromosomes. The 2NS translocation and known resistance genes ( Rmg8 , Rwt3 , Rwt4-1B , Rwt4-1D ) were unevenly distributed across the panel. Based on linkage disequilibrium (LD), the significant markers were grouped into 45 quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with wheat blast resistance, including the 2NS/2AS translocation. These QTLs either coincide with known blast resistance loci or represent potentially novel ones. These findings enhance the understanding of wheat blast resistance and provide valuable markers and candidate genotypes for resistance breeding aimed to mitigate the threat of wheat blast under changing climates.