Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a staple crop that provides a major source of calories and protein for over one-third of the global population. However, its productivity is increasingly challenged by a wide range of abiotic and biotic stresses, exacerbated by the growing impacts of climate change. Traditional breeding methods, while effective to some extent, are insufficient to meet the rising food demand projected for 2050. In this context, omics technologies, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, have emerged as transformative tools in wheat research and improvement. Genomics facilitates the identification of key loci and alleles associated with important agronomic traits through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, genomic selection, and CRISPR-based genome editing. Transcriptomics provides insight into gene expression profiles under stress and during developmental stages, helping to uncover regulatory networks and transcription factors. Proteomics advances our understanding of functional protein networks and post-translational modifications, while metabolomics identifies key biochemical pathways and adaptive metabolites associated with stress tolerance and grain quality. More importantly, integrative multi-omics approaches enable a holistic understanding of the complex genotype-to-phenotype relationships that govern yield, resilience, and nutritional traits. This review comprehensively explores recent breakthroughs in wheat omics research, the integration of multi-layered datasets, and the application of computational biology and machine learning to accelerate precision breeding. It also discusses current challenges and future directions for translating omics-based discoveries into field-ready solutions, ultimately aiming to develop climate-resilient, high-yielding wheat cultivars to ensure global food and nutritional security

Wheat genomics, Wheat transcriptomics, Wheat proteomics, Wheat metabolomics, multi-omics integration

Omics technologies have revolutionized wheat research, providing unprecedented insights into the molecular basis of important agronomic traits. From the foundational IWGSC reference genome to cutting-edge single-cell omics, these approaches have transformed our ability to understand and manipulate wheat biology. The integration of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics has been particularly powerful, revealing complex networks underlying stress responses and quality traits. Moving forward, maximizing the impact of omics research will require multidisciplinary collaboration across biology, computer science, engineering, and agronomy. By combining omics data with advanced phenotyping, environmental monitoring, and predictive modelling, we can accelerate genetic gains to meet the challenges of climate change and global food security. The future of wheat improvement lies in harnessing these integrated approaches to develop resilient, high-yielding varieties through both conventional breeding and precision genetic strategies

Vinodh Kumar P.N., Sahana Police Patil and Keerthi G.M. (2023). Integrative Omics Approaches for Wheat Improvement: Advances in Genomics, Transcriptomics, Proteomics, and Metabolomics. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(11): 663-668