Can wild plant adaptations help crops tolerate heat?

The article focuses on the diverse adaptive strategies of wild plant species in response to temperature stress due to climate change. It highlights the evolutionary challenges plants face as they cannot relocate and must adapt through physiological changes, which can impact crop breeding aimed at maximizing yield while ensuring stress survival. Advances in biotechnology, including CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, offer potential solutions by allowing targeted genetic modifications, but the complexity of traits like heat stress tolerance necessitates a broader understanding of genetic diversity found in wild relatives of crops. The article emphasizes the importance of studying both repeated and non-repeated adaptation to inform agricultural practices and improve crop resilience in the face of ongoing climate change. [Extracted from the article]