Author(s)

Hannah Boahemaa Addai^*, Conficious Nkrumah, Benjamin Yennuna Konyannik, Akwasi Agyapong Oppong-Agyemang, Gladys Alabilla, Gloria Naa Lamiley Lamptey, Prosper Ntow, James Nii Armah Okine, Paul Laari, Abdul-Wahab Rabiu

Affiliation(s)

Department of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Agriculture, RUDN University, Moscow 117198, Russia.

Corresponding Author

Hannah Boahemaa Addai

ABSTRACT

Climate change intensifies abiotic stresses heat, drought, and flooding jeopardizing global food security by disrupting crop physiology and causing substantial yield losses. While conventional breeding has developed resilient varieties like submergence-tolerant "Scuba" rice and drought-tolerant maize, its slow pace and limited genetic diversity are inadequate for rapidly changing climates. This review synthesizes advances in breeding for climate resilience, highlighting the integration of traditional methods with modern tools. Genomic selection accelerates genetic gain for complex traits, CRISPR enables precise editing of genes for root architecture and stomatal regulation, and speed breeding shortens generation cycles. High-throughput phenomics and artificial intelligence further enhance predictive breeding. However, critical gaps persist, including a lack of multi-stress field validation, underutilized crop wild relatives, and trade-offs between stress tolerance and yield. Future efforts must prioritize integrative strategies that combine genomics, phenomics, and participatory approaches to develop resilient crops capable of sustaining productivity under compound climatic stresses, ensuring food security in the 21st century.

KEYWORDS

Climate-resilient crops; Heat stress; Drought tolerance; Plant breeding; Crispr-cas9; Food security

CITE THIS PAPER

Hannah Boahemaa Addai, Conficious Nkrumah, Benjamin Yennuna Konyannik, Akwasi Agyapong Oppong-Agyemang, Gladys Alabilla, Gloria Naa Lamiley Lamptey, Prosper Ntow, James Nii Armah Okine, Paul Laari, Abdul-Wahab Rabiu. Breeding crops for climate resilience: strategies and challenges for heat, drought, and flood tolerance. World Journal of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences. 2025, 3(1): 43-60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.61784/wjafs3021.

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