The WRKY transcription factor FaWRKY71 modulates the response of strawberry to drought stress.

Abstract Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is a high-value horticultural crop whose productivity and fruit quality are severely compromised under drought conditions. To minimize the impact of water deficit, plants deploy complex regulatory networks that coordinate physiological and molecular responses, many of which are governed by transcription factors. Among these, members of the WRKY family are recognized as key regulators of stress-induced signalling cascades. In this study, we identified and functionally characterized a ripening-induced WRKY transcription factor, FaWRKY71, that is strongly associated with drought responses in strawberry. Suppression of FaWRKY71 expression through RNA interference revealed alterations in biological processes linked predominantly to the ‘response to abiotic stimulus,’ indicating its pivotal role in adaptive stress pathways. Transactivation assays confirmed a glutathione S-transferase (FaGST17), a cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (FaCAD3), and an abscisic stress ripening protein-like protein (FaASR) as direct downstream targets of FaWRKY71, validating its regulatory capacity. Moreover, transgenic strawberry lines overexpressing FaWRKY71 exhibited enhanced antioxidant defences characterized by increased peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities when compared with non-transgenic controls. These biochemical changes were consistent with improved tolerance to drought-induced oxidative stress. Collectively, our findings establish FaWRKY71 as a central component of the transcriptional network that integrates fruit development and abiotic stress adaptation. The dual role of FaWRKY71 in ripening regulation and stress resilience highlights its potential as a promising target for genetic strategies aimed at improving both fruit quality and drought tolerance in strawberry.