Abstract

Wheat is a primary staple crop worldwide, grown in a wide range of environments, leading to significant yield variation. Improving wheat yield potential and resilience against abiotic and biotic stresses are critical to food security. A perennial debate is to breed for yield potential or for adaptation to specific conditions. In this review, we show that often selection for yield potential also improves crop yield under stress with no trade-offs. We examine agronomic and physiological traits associated with yield that are less likely to exhibit crossover or scaling effects, and we discuss their implications for breeding. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd