Comprehensive analysis of bHLH transcription factors reveals candidate regulators of flower development and heat stress response in Rhododendron simsii

This study provides the first comprehensive characterization of the bHLH gene family in R. simsii and identifies candidate genes potentially involved in flower development and thermotolerance. These findings lay a theoretical foundation for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying heat tolerance and for future molecular breeding of heat-resistant R. simsii varieties.