DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE OF DROUGHT STRESSRESPONSIVE GENES AMONG CONTRASTING GENOTYPES OF BREAD WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.)

This study investigates the transcriptomic responses of two wheat cultivars, GZ168 (droughttolerant) and GM10 (drought-sensitive), to drought stress induced by 20% polyethylene glycol (PEG) treatment at 0h, 2h, and 12h.RNA-Seq data were analyzed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and enriched KEGG pathways.Hierarchical clustering revealed distinct transcriptomic profiles between the cultivars, with GM10 exhibiting transient changes, while GZ168 demonstrating sustained transcriptional regulation under PEG-induced drought.Key DEGs encoding enzymes involved in carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism were identified, highlighting metabolic pathways associated with drought tolerance.Specifically, the drought-tolerant GZ168 showed enrichment of acetyl-CoA, long-chain acyl-CoA, tryptophan, indole acetate, amylose, starch, and glucose as core intermediate crosstalking metabolites.These metabolic shifts were associated with the upregulation of key enzymes such as acetyl-CoA synthetase, long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase, tryptophan synthase, and starch synthase.This transcriptomic data provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in wheat.We recommend leveraging these findings in wheat breeding programs by targeting key enzymes and metabolic pathways identified in GZ168 to enhance drought resilience in other wheat cultivars through targeted metabolic engineering approaches.