To ascertain genetic diversity, population structure and linkage disequilibrium (LD) among a representative collection of Chinese winter wheat cultivars and lines, 90 winter wheat accessions were analyzed with 269 SSR markers distributed throughout the wheat genome. A total of 1,358 alleles were detected, with 2 to 10 alleles per locus and a mean genetic richness of 5.05. The average genetic diversity index was 0.60, with values ranging from 0.05 to 0.86. Of the three genomes of wheat, ANOVA revealed that the B genome had the highest genetic diversity (0.63) and the D genome the lowest (0.56); significant differences were observed between these two genomes (P0.1), with a whole genome LD decay distance of approximately 2.2 cM (r²>0.1, P<0.001). Evidence from genetic diversity analyses suggest that wheat germplasm from other countries should be introduced into Chinese winter wheat and distant hybridization should be adopted to create new wheat germplasm with increased genetic diversity. The results of this study should provide valuable information for future association mapping using this Chinese winter wheat collection.

Plants continuously face multiple abiotic stresses, including drought, salinity, heat, cold, and heavy metal, that challenge cellular homeostasis and threaten global crop productivity. Recent research reveals that these stress responses are not isolated but interconnected through shared hormonal, redox, and transcriptional networks. This review provides an integrative synthesis of current advances in stress signaling, emphasizing how perception, transduction, and memory layers are hierarchically organized across distinct stress types. We outline key regulatory hubs—such as ABA-centered hormonal crosstalk, chloroplast-nucleus redox communication, and epigenetic priming—that coordinate systemic tolerance. Furthermore, we highlight emerging evidence for stress-specific modules that operate under combined stresses (e.g., drought–heat, salinity–cold), providing a unified framework for understanding how plants integrate multi-dimensional signals. This synthesis offers a conceptual perspective linking signaling architecture to adaptive outcomes, aiming to inform future strategies for engineering multi-stress-resilient crops.

L-type lectin receptor-like kinases (L-LecRLKs) play key roles in plant responses to environmental stresses and the regulation of growth and development. However, comprehensive studies of the L-LecRLK gene family in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) are still limited. In this study, 248 L-LecRLK candidate genes were identified in wheat, which is the largest number reported in any species to date. Phylogenetic analysis grouped these genes into four clades (I–IV), with Group IV exhibiting significant monocot-specific expansion. Gene duplication analysis revealed that both whole-genome/segmental and tandem duplications contributed to family expansion, while Ka/Ks ratio analysis suggested that the genes have undergone strong purifying selection. The TaL-LecRLK genes displayed diverse exon-intron structures and conserved motif compositions. Promoter analysis revealed a cis-element associated with hormone signaling and abiotic stress responses. Transcriptome profiling showed that TaL-LecRLKs exhibit tissue- and stage-specific expression patterns. RNA-Seq data revealed that, under drought and heat stress conditions, TaL-LecRLK35-3D and TaL-LecRLK67-6B exhibited synergistic expression patterns, whereas TaL-LecRLK67-6A demonstrated antagonistic expression. A qRT-PCR further demonstrated that six TaL-LecRLKs may function through ABA-independent regulatory mechanisms. These findings provide valuable gene candidates for stress-resistant wheat breeding and shed light on the evolution and functional diversity of L-LecRLKs in plants.