Wheat genomics frontiers for gene discovery and breeding applications

Abstract Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) is among the world’s three most widely cultivated cereal crops and serves as a staple food for approximately 40% of the global population. Wheat production has significantly increased during past decades, but now faces formidable challenges due to climate change, limited resources and a growing global population. Achieving sustainable wheat production will require the integration of advanced and innovative technologies. Recent advances in wheat genomics are bridging the genotype-to-phenotype gap and reshaping the future of genome-based wheat breeding. A landmark achievement was the release of the first reference genome sequence of hexaploid wheat, followed by high quality genome assemblies and pangenomes of wheat and its wild relatives. These resources have significantly advanced both structural and functional genomic approaches including gene mapping, association genetics, genomic selection, gene cloning and genome editing. Here, we summarize the recent advances in wheat genomics and highlight its potential in various facets of wheat breeding particularly in trait discovery, genomic variation and the exploration of regulatory networks underlying complex traits. We further discuss the application of wheat genomics for precision breeding, ensuring sustainable wheat production and the development of nutritionally rich and climate resilient wheat varieties tailored to future environmental challenges.