Managing drought stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production: strategies and impacts

Abstract

Drought stress is a major constraint to sustainable wheat production worldwide, including sub-Saharan Africa, where environmental and poor agronomic practices exacerbate the yield gap. Drought disrupts physiological, biochemical, and molescular processes, negatively impacting crop growth, grain yield and quality. This review outlines a range of effective management strategies to cope with drought stress in wheat, including the adoption of drought-tolerant wheat cultivars, advanced agronomic practices, and precision irrigation techniques. The review emphasises the role of carbon isotope discrimination (CID) in breeding programs, enhancing water-use efficiency, and crop resilience under drought conditions. Collaborative efforts among researchers, farmers, and policymakers are essential to enhance adaptive capacity and promote food security amidst growing climate variability. Future research should focus on developing and deploying drought-tolerant cultivars and integrating CID technology in wheat-breeding programmes to build climate-resilient agriculture systems.