Mechanism of "Wheat That Survives While Conserving Water" Elucidated in Joint Research by Six Japanese Institutions Including Kobe University

A joint research group from Kobe University, Yamaguchi University, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, RIKEN, Okayama University, and Tottori University has discovered a drought-resistant wheat mutant, WS1, that conserves water, and has elucidated its survival mechanism.

**Key Points** - Discovered the WS1 wheat mutant, which is drought-resistant while conserving water. - WS1 maintains high survival capability while reducing water loss by closing its stomata. - This tolerance is acquired through metabolic and protein phosphorylation reprogramming, without strong dependence on the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA). - It demonstrates a new adaptation strategy that prioritizes survival over growth, with expected applications for developing future drought-resistant crops.

**Abstract** As droughts become more severe, understanding how crops use water to survive is a critical issue for food production. A research group led by Associate Professor Ryosuke Mega of Kobe University has analyzed the wheat mutant "WS1," which exhibits a high survival rate while suppressing water consumption, and has clarified the underlying internal mechanisms.

It was discovered that WS1 switches to a mode that prioritizes survival over growth by reconfiguring its internal metabolism and protein functions. This mechanism could potentially lead to the development of drought-resistant crops in the future.

This research was published in "Plant, Cell & Environment" on April 19, 2026.

**Publication Information** - Title: “A water-saving drought survival phenotype in a wheat TILLING mutant involves survival-biased metabolic and phosphorylation reprogramming” - DOI: 10.1111/pce.70546 - Authors: Ryosuke Mega, Shun-ichiro Hirata, Kota Yamashita, Hinano Takase, Taishi Umezawa, Yasuko Watanabe, June-Sik Kim, Tomoyuki Kosaka, Akihiro Nieda, Hisashi Tsujimoto - Journal: Plant, Cell & Environment

**Acknowledgments** This research was supported by the Moonshot R&D Program by the Cabinet Office, JSPS KAKENHI, and joint research grants from the Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University.