Harnessing genomics and transcriptomics to explore the genetic and molecular basis of abiotic stress tolerance in minor millets - a comprehensive review.

Minor millets represent a promising avenue for addressing food security challenges through their unique C4 photosynthetic pathway and inherent resilience to harsh environmental conditions. These crops exhibit exceptional adaptation to abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and nutrient-poor soils, while simultaneously offering substantial nutritional benefits, including high levels of iron, zinc, dietary fiber, and bioactive compounds. Recent advancements in high-throughput sequencing have revolutionized our understanding of stress tolerance mechanisms in these underutilized crops. This review comprehensively synthesizes current molecular resources, focusing on more than 35 critical gene families associated with stress regulation. By critically examining genomic and transcriptomic landscapes, we illuminate the complex regulatory networks and differentially expressed genes that underpin abiotic stress adaptation in minor millets. This review presents a detailed molecular characterization of stress response mechanisms and also explores the transformative potential of these insights for agricultural innovation. We demonstrate the integration of advanced molecular understanding for strategically improving breeding programs, marker-assisted selection, and potential genetic engineering approaches. The ultimate goal is to develop climate-resilient cultivars that can enhance global food security and sustainable agricultural practices in an era of increasing environmental uncertainty. Our comprehensive analysis highlights the critical role of minor millets as a sustainable solution to malnutrition and agricultural challenges, positioning these remarkable grains at the forefront of adaptive crop research.