Linking leaf traits to carbohydrate profiles of wheat grains under heat stress

Wheat production has increased compared to previous years, but further improvements are essential to meet the needs of the growing global population. Leaf structural traits are crucial parameters in determining plant’s response and productivity under heat stress in many crops including wheat. However, the relationships among leaf structural traits, sugar and starch content, grain carbohydrate profile and heat tolerance in wheat remain unclear. This project will combine field and laboratory studies with metabolomics to investigate the link between leaf characteristics and grain quality, focusing on carbohydrate profiling. Metabolomics is a powerful tool for studying the biochemical composition of wheat grains, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) will enable identification and quantification of primary and secondary carbohydrate metabolites influenced by heat stress. This study aims to determine the significance of source-sink interactions between leaf structural traits and grain production and quality in relation to heat tolerance in wheat