Structural failure in cereal stems under climate extremes: insights from barley head loss

Structural failure of cereal stems during late-season climate extremes is a critical determinant of yield stability. In barley, breakage of the stem below the spike, known as head loss, leads to major yield losses, particularly in hot and dry regions where the crop is widely grown. Despite a predicted increase in head loss risk due to global warming, current understanding of the genetic, physiological, anatomical, and environmental factors that control head loss remains limited. Overcoming these knowledge gaps is essential to providing a systems-level strategy for barley breeders to develop climate-ready cultivars that are resilient to stem breakage and suitable for industry adoption. Here, we review present knowledge and highlight opportunities for innovation to mitigate head loss through interdisciplinary approaches that combine precise phenotyping through mechanical testing of stem strength and flexibility, high-throughput phenotyping through drone-based spike counting, and genetic modification strategies informed by studies on hormonal regulation and cell wall composition. Coupled with genotypic data, these efforts will enable the development of a genomic selection platform to facilitate future breeding programs. The framework and tools discussed here are broadly applicable to improving stem resilience in other cereal crops.