Wheat microgreens for global food security: Novel interventions for sustainable production and functional enrichment

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) microgreens have emerged as nutrient-dense functional foods with significant potential to address malnutrition, lifestyle-related disorders, and the growing demand for sustainable diets. Rich in vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds, they demonstrate diverse bioactivities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anticancer, and cardioprotective effects. Their short growth cycle, minimal input requirements, and adaptability to hydroponic and vertical farming systems further position them as resource-efficient crops for future food security and for space cropping. Despite these advantages, challenges such as limited shelf life, microbial contamination, lack of standardized post-harvest practices, and low consumer awareness restrict their large-scale commercialization. This review consolidates current knowledge on the nutritional, functional, and therapeutic relevance of wheat microgreens while exploring optimized growing conditions, biofortification strategies, genetic improvement, and post-harvest management to enhance phytochemical accumulation and nutritional quality. Advances in omics technologies, marker-assisted selection, and genome editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 are opening new avenues for improving resilience, delaying senescence, and tailoring nutritional traits. Parallel developments in minimal processing, modified atmosphere packaging, edible coatings, and smart packaging systems offer promising solutions to extend freshness and ensure food safety. In addition, the economic and environmental benefits of wheat microgreens highlight their potential in premium markets and sustainable farming models, including controlled-environment agriculture and technologies like digital twins. By integrating nutritional science, biotechnology, and food system perspectives, this review identifies key challenges and opportunities to position wheat microgreens as a sustainable, health-promoting superfood for future diets.