Genetic associations of transgenerational stress memory in wheat under drought stress

Transgenerational stress memory (TSM) in plants is a fascinating area of research, particularly when it comes to understanding how plants respond to drought stress. Therefore, our study explored the genetic architecture/causative alleles controlling transgenerational drought stress memoryin a diverse collection of 111 wheat accessions that enhanced seed germination parameters and antioxidant components in response to drought stress tolerance using a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS). This experiment was performed in two distinct stages. In the first stage, all wheat accessions were exposed to control and drought conditions following the primed acclimation technique. Two different groups of genotypes were recovered at this stage: the seeds of stressed plants (SP) and those of non-stressed plants (NP) and evaluated under drought treatment. Our study revealed a highly significant increase in root and shoot lengths by 42 % and 56 % for the seeds of stressed plants Similarly, a highly significant increase in superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase was detected for stressed plants by 55 %, 43 %, 44 %, and 63 % when compared to those of non-stressed wheatplants. Using GWAS mapping, a significant marker (Kukri_c53629_239) associated with APX_SP, DW_SP, and SOD_SP on chromosome 2 H was located inside the gene TraesCS2B02G192700 candidate is annotated as protein kinase activity that triggering various protective mechanisms, such as antioxidative enzymes under drought stress. Altogether, TSM is a cornerstone in the genetic research of drought stress tolerance, offering invaluable insights that can drive the development of drought-resilient crop varieties. •Transgenerational stress memory (TSM) occurs when plants "remember" a stimulus and pass on adaptive responses to their offspring, making them more tolerant to subsequent events•A Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) offers a powerful approach to uncovering the genetic basis of complex traits in wheat such as drought tolerance with prior knowledge of the candidate genes involved.•TSM is a cornerstone in the genetic research of drought stress tolerance, offering invaluable insights that can drive the development of drought-resilient crop varieties.