Potential protein biomarkers for heat tolerance at wheat seedling and ear peep stages.

Heat stress poses a major threat to global wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production, with rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves adversely affecting crop yields and grain quality. Understanding wheat’s molecular mechanisms underlying heat tolerance is crucial for developing resilient varieties. This study validated protein abundance changes under heat stress during ear peep in wheat flag leaf using selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (SRM–MS) in a set of heat-tolerant (Vixen-T) and heat-susceptible (HD2329-S) genotypes. The proteomics samples and flag leaf physiology measurements were taken on days 1, 3 and 5 of heat stress exposure (5 days, for 3 hrs per day) and day 12 after recovery at seedling and ear peep stages, further correlating these changes to physiology and yield data. This study identified key heat-responsive protein biomarkers at seedling and ear peep stage, contributing to breeding efforts to develop heat-tolerant wheat varieties. As climate change continues to challenge global food security, these findings offer promising strategies for sustaining wheat production in warmer climates.