Challenge Although global wheat production has improved in recent years, further gains are essential to meet the food demands of a growing population, especially under climate change pressures. Heat stress remains a major constraint, affecting both grain yield and quality. While leaf structural traits play a key role in plant responses to heat, their relationship with carbohydrate accumulation and grain quality is still poorly understood.
Solution This project investigates the connections between leaf structure, sugar and starch dynamics, and grain carbohydrate profiles in wheat under heat stress. Through a combination of field and laboratory experiments and advanced metabolomics techniques using LC-MS, the study will identify and quantify the key primary and secondary carbohydrate metabolites that influence grain quality. The focus is on understanding the source-sink interactions between leaves and grains to reveal how structural and metabolic traits contribute to heat tolerance.
Impact The research will generate valuable insights into the biochemical and physiological drivers of heat resilience in wheat. By identifying traits linked to improved grain quality and yield under heat stress, the project will support the development of climate-resilient wheat varieties, helping secure food production in a warming world and informing future wheat breeding strategies.
