New insights into the effects of high temperature, drought and post-anthesis fertilizer on wheat grain development

Temperature, water and fertilizer have complex and interacting effects on wheat grain development, yield and flour quality. Transcript and protein profiling studies have provided insight into molecular processes in the grain and are now being used in conjunction with controlled growth experiments to decipher the effects of specific environmental variables on grain development. These studies are complicated because environmental treatments such as high temperature and drought shorten the duration of grain development and because effects of high temperature and drought on gene expression and protein accumulation are superimposed upon those of post-anthesis fertilizer. The integration of data from recent proteomic and transcriptomic studies is an important step in identifying genes and proteins that respond to environment and affect yield and flour quality. Such information is needed to develop wheat better able to adapt to global climate change. Published by Elsevier Ltd.