A system genetics analysis uncover the regulatory variants controlling drought response in wheat: Transcriptome-wide data of wheat (PRJCA025815)

Wheat (Triticum aestivum. L) is a major cereal crop globally, which provide 20% of the total protein and calories consumed worldwide on a daily basis. Water scarcity and the unpredictable nature of drought caused by global climate change represent one of the largest threats to wheat production, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Gene expression is a key determinant of plant response to environmental stresses. Natural variation in gene expression bridges genetic variation to phenotypic alteration. However, our knowledge of genetic variations governing gene expression in stress response remains limited in crops. This study sheds light on how genetic variants influence the dynamic changes in gene expression responding to drought stress and provides a valuable resource for the mining of drought-tolerant genes in the future.