Selection of heat stress tolerant wheat genotypes for desert environments

Authors: GHAZY, ABDELHALIM - King Saud University; AL ATEEQ, TALAL - King Saud University; IBRAHIM, EID - King Saud University; Abdel-Haleem, Hussein; ATTIA, KOTB - King Saud University; AZAB, OMAR - King Saud University; AL-DOSS, ABDUL-LAH - King Saud University

Submitted to: Scientific Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2025
Publication Date: 10/21/2025
Citation: Ghazy, A.I., Al Ateeq, T.K., Ibrahim, E.I., Abdel-Haleem, H.A., Attia, K.A., Azab, O., Al-Doss, A.A. 2025. Selection of heat stress tolerant wheat genotypes for desert environments. Scientific Reports. 15. Article 36672. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-20450-7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-20450-7

Interpretive Summary: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the phenotypic performance and genetic diversity of new advanced wheat genotypes under heat stress. Wheat genotypes showed significant variability in agronomic traits under heat stress. Traits such as grain yield, kernel weight, and biological yield were negatively impacted by high temperatures during the grain-filling stage. The study demonstrated significant superior heat tolerance genotypes. The molecular markers validated in this study provide valuable tools for marker-assisted selection (MAS), offering a genetic basis for selecting genotypes with enhanced heat tolerance and maintaining the high productivity. The findings underscored the importance of integrating molecular markers with phenotypic data to identify and select wheat genotypes that can withstand the challenges posed by climate change. The wide genetic diversity offers opportunities for introducing novel alleles into breeding programs, which will be critical for developing wheat varieties that can sustain productivity under increasingly variable and extreme environmental conditions. By using these insights, breeders can target specific traits and markers to develop heat-resilient wheat varieties, ensuring food security in regions threatened by rising global temperatures.

Technical Abstract: High temperature is a critical abiotic stress that severely impacts agricultural productivity, especially in semi-arid and arid regions. This study assesses the phenotypic performance and genetic diversity of twenty advanced wheat genotypes and checks under the field conditions of heat stress for two years. Heat stress led to significant reductions in grain yield and related traits, with an average yield decline of 53.8%. Path analysis revealed a negative impact of heading date on grain yield under stress conditions. Stress indices indicated strong heat tolerance in the genotype YR × Ksu110-240, which showed only a 10.4% reduction in grain yield, whereas DHH3-26 exhibited high sensitivity with a 53.6% reduction. Genetic diversity analysis using 30 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) polymorphic markers identified significant marker-trait associations, particularly Xgwm 285 and Xgwm 577, which were strongly linked to heat tolerance related traits. These markers provide valuable tools for marker-assisted selection (MAS), facilitating the breeding of heat-resilient wheat varieties. This study highlights the significance of combining molecular markers with phenotypic assessments to improve wheat adaptation to challenging environmental conditions. The wide genetic diversity offers opportunities for introducing novel alleles into breeding programs, which will be critical for developing wheat varieties that can sustain productivity under increasingly variable and extreme environmental conditions. By using the genetic and phenotypic diversities, breeders can target specific traits and markers to develop heat-resilient wheat varieties, ensuring food security in regions threatened by rising global temperatures.