Table 1.

Improving drought tolerance of wheat through engineering gene.

Transgene	Transgenic Recipient	Source	Improved Traits	References
TaWRKY2	Fielder, a spring Triticum aestivum cultivar	Xifeng20, a drought tolerant wheat	Higher survival rate, proline, soluble sugar and chlorophyll.	[70]
calcineurin B-like protein (CBL)-interacting protein kinase CIPK23	Fielder, a Triticum aestivum cultivar	Triticum aestivum cultivar Xiaobaimai	Higher survival rate, increased osmolytes, induction of stomatal closure, enhanced ABA sensitivity.	[91]
aldose reductase gene MsALR	CY-45, a spring Triticum aestivum cultivar	Alfalfa	Higher detoxification activity for the aldehyde substrate; higher biomass and seed weight.	[96]
HVA1	Hi-Line, a spring Triticum aestivum cultivar	Barley	Improved biomass and water use efficiency.	[48]
HVA1	Hi-Line, a spring Triticum aestivum cultivar	Barley	Higher plant height, total biomass and grain yield.	[49]
Mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase mtlD	Bobwhite, Triticum aestivum cultivar	Escherichia coli	Improved biomass, mannitol accumulation.	[18]
betA encoding choline dehydrogenase	Jinan 17, Triticum aestivum cultivar	Escherichia coli	Accumulation of glycinebetaine.	[32]
Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase, BADH	Triticum aestivum	Atriplex hortensis	Higher BADH activity, show normal growth.	[35]
Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase, BADH	Line (T6), from Shi4185 line	Atriplex hortensis	Accumulation of glycinebetaine.	[31]
Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase, BADH	Line (T6), from Shi4185 line	Atriplex hortensis	Decreased PSII photoinhibition.	[36]
GmDREB	Lumai22, Triticum aestivum cultivar	Glycine max cultivar Jinong27	Improved drought tolerance with more leaves, roots and high soluble sugar contents.	[17]
Δ1-pyrroline-5 carboxylate synthetase, P5CS	CD200126, Triticum aestivum cultivar	Vigna aconitifolia	Proline biosynthesis.	[19]
Δ1-pyrroline-5 carboxylate synthetase, P5cs	Triticum aestivum	Triticum aestivum	Proline accumulation.	[28]
DREB1A	bread wheat	Arabidopsis thaliana	More branched root phenotype higher total number of heads, enhance drought tolerance.	[62]
sedoheptulose-1, 7-bisphosphatase SBPase	Line (T2) from cultivar Cadenza	Brachypodium distachyon	SBPase promoter fully drive the GUS expression.	[97]
HaHB4	cv. Cadenza	Sunflower	Increased yield and water use efficiency.	[16]
AtWRKY30	Sakha-61 genotype, Triticum aestivum	Arabidopsis thaliana	Higher biomass, photosynthesis, relative water content, prolines, soluble proteins, soluble sugars, and antioxidant enzymes activities.	[98]
AtHDG11	Chinese Spring, Triticum aestivum	Arabidopsis thaliana	More yield, higher proline content and photosynthesis, lower stomatal density, lower water loss rate, and increased activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase.	[60]
cold shock protein gene SeCspA	cultivar KN199, winter wheat	Escherichia coli	Higher proline, grain weight and grain yield, less reduction in chlorophyll, low MDA content.	[44]
ferritin gene, TaFER-5B	Jimai5265, wheat cultivar	wheat cultivar, TAM107	Improved leaf iron content and ROS, enhanced drought and temperature tolerance.	[51]
phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase kinase-related kinase gene, TaPEPKR2	Liaochun10, wheat cultivar	wheat cultivar, TAM107	Enhanced drought tolerance, higher root length.	[89]
TaSHN1	Triticum aestivum cultivar Gladius	Australian drought tolerant genotype RAC875	Lower stomatal density and leaf water loss, and improved recovery after severe drought.	[58]
TaNF-YB4	Triticum aestivum cultivar Gladius	Triticum aestivum cultivar RAC875	More spikes.	[95]
DREB/CBF gene TaRAP2.1Lmut	Triticum aestivum cultivar Gladius	Triticum aestivum cultivar RAC785	Enhanced ability to survive frost and drought.	[99]
OTS1, overly tolerant to salt-1	Triticum aestivum Gamtoos-R	Arabidopsis thaliana	Delayed senescence, higher relative water content, photosynthesis and antioxidants.	[86]
TaNAC69	Triticum aestivum cultivar Bobwhite	Triticum aestivum	More root biomass, longer roots.	[77]
TabZIP2	Triticum aestivum cultivar Gladius	Triticum aestivum cultivar RAC875	Fewer spikes and seeds, increased single seed weight.	[82]
DREB	Triticum aestivum cultivar Bobwhite	Triticum durum L. cultivar Langdon	Improved survival, slow growth, delayed flowering, less grain yield.	[100]
DREB	Triticum aestivum cultivar 8901, 5–98, 99–92, Baofeng 104	Arabidopsis thaliana	Still green after 15 d withholding water, high proline contents.	[101]
PEPC	Triticum aestivum cultivar Zhoumai19	Maize	Higher proline, soluble sugar and water use efficiency.	[53]
CspA and CspB	Triticum aestivum cultivar KN199	Escherichia coli	Lower water loss rate and MDA content, higher chlorophyll, proline and yield.	[44]