Molecular Breeding for Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crops: Recent Developments and Future Prospectives

The document is an updated review, starting from the Special Issue "Molecular Breeding for Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crops" published in the Int. J. Mol. Sci. It reviews molecular breeding strategies to enhance abiotic stress tolerance in crops, addressing challenges like drought, salinity, temperature extremes, and waterlogging, which threaten global food security. Climate change intensifies these stresses, making it critical to develop resilient crop varieties. Plants adapt to stress through mechanisms such as hormonal regulation (e.g., ABA, ethylene), antioxidant defense (e.g., SOD, CAT), osmotic adjustment (e.g., proline accumulation), and gene expression regulation via transcription factors like MYB and WRKY. Advanced tools, such as CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, enable precise modifications of stress-related genes, improving tolerance without compromising yield. Examples include rice (OsRR22, OsDST) and wheat (TaERF3, TaHKT1;5). Epigenetic regulation, including DNA methylation and histone modifications, also plays a role in stress adaptation. Specific studies focused on polyamine seed priming for improved germination and stress resistance, cadmium detoxification mechanisms, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify genetic markers for salt tolerance and yield. Research on salinity tolerance in wheat emphasizes sodium exclusion and tissue tolerance mechanisms. Future perspectives focus on genetic engineering, molecular markers, epigenetic studies, and functional validation to address environmental stress challenges, including the use of AI and machine learning to manage the large amount of data. The review underscores the importance of translating molecular findings into practical applications to ensure sustainable crop production under changing climates.