Envirotyping framework for wheat in Europe
Abstract
Context Wheat production in Europe is increasingly constrained by climatic stressors, particularly heat and drought, which threaten yield stability and genetic gain. To improve environmental characterization in multi-environment trials and support the development of climate-resilient cultivars, we propose a robust envirotyping framework based on a crop model and multivariate analysis. Methods We combined 16 years of data from official Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) trials across six European countries with simulations from the SiriusQuality process-based crop model. Environmental indices were computed to quantify temperature, water, and radiation stress during critical phenological stages. We evaluated two approaches for environmental characterization. Results and conclusions A principal component analysis of selected indices captured key climatic gradients but generated composite dimensions with limited interpretability for envirotyping applications. In contrast, a simplified method based on three physiologically grounded indices—heat stress, water deficit, and radiation balance—offered greater clarity and biological relevance. K-means clustering applied to these indices delineated discrete and interpretable envirotypes. The analysis revealed consistent low-stress conditions in Alpine regions, frequent combined heat and drought stress in eastern Austria and Hungary, and widespread water limitation in France and Germany. Significance This framework offers a scalable, mechanistic approach to envirotyping of large multi-environment field trials and provides a characterization of the Target Population of Environments (TPE) for wheat in Europe, supporting variety evaluationand breeding strategies tailored to specific climatic conditions.
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BibTeX
@article{chen2026envirotyping,
title = {{Envirotyping framework for wheat in Europe}},
author = {Xinxin Chen and Rogério de S. Nóia-Júnior and Teiki Raihauti and Loic Manceau and Sibylle Dueri and Jip J.C. Ramakers and Waqas Malik and Daniela Bustos-Korts and Clemens Flamm and Christophe Grizeau and Juan Herrera and Jürg Hiltbrunner and Vladimíra Horáková and Lilia Levy Häner and Fabien Masson and Márton Pécs and Marek Povolný and Philipp Starnberger and Margot Visse-Mansiaux and Cécile Collonnier and François Laurens and Hans-Peter Piepho and Fred van Eeuwijk and Claude Welcker and Boris Parent and Pierre Martre},
journal = {Field Crops Research},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110616},
url = {https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05750561v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Envirotyping framework for wheat in Europe
AU - Xinxin Chen
AU - Rogério de S. Nóia-Júnior
AU - Teiki Raihauti
AU - Loic Manceau
AU - Sibylle Dueri
AU - Jip J.C. Ramakers
AU - Waqas Malik
AU - Daniela Bustos-Korts
AU - Clemens Flamm
AU - Christophe Grizeau
AU - Juan Herrera
AU - Jürg Hiltbrunner
AU - Vladimíra Horáková
AU - Lilia Levy Häner
AU - Fabien Masson
AU - Márton Pécs
AU - Marek Povolný
AU - Philipp Starnberger
AU - Margot Visse-Mansiaux
AU - Cécile Collonnier
AU - François Laurens
AU - Hans-Peter Piepho
AU - Fred van Eeuwijk
AU - Claude Welcker
AU - Boris Parent
AU - Pierre Martre
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/15
JO - Field Crops Research
DO - 10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110616
UR - https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05750561v1
AB - Context Wheat production in Europe is increasingly constrained by climatic stressors, particularly heat and drought, which threaten yield stability and genetic gain. To improve environmental characterization in multi-environment trials and support the development of climate-resilient cultivars, we propose a robust envirotyping framework based on a crop model and multivariate analysis. Methods We combined 16 years of data from official Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) trials across six European countries with simulations from the SiriusQuality process-based crop model. Environmental indices were computed to quantify temperature, water, and radiation stress during critical phenological stages. We evaluated two approaches for environmental characterization. Results and conclusions A principal component analysis of selected indices captured key climatic gradients but generated composite dimensions with limited interpretability for envirotyping applications. In contrast, a simplified method based on three physiologically grounded indices—heat stress, water deficit, and radiation balance—offered greater clarity and biological relevance. K-means clustering applied to these indices delineated discrete and interpretable envirotypes. The analysis revealed consistent low-stress conditions in Alpine regions, frequent combined heat and drought stress in eastern Austria and Hungary, and widespread water limitation in France and Germany. Significance This framework offers a scalable, mechanistic approach to envirotyping of large multi-environment field trials and provides a characterization of the Target Population of Environments (TPE) for wheat in Europe, supporting variety evaluationand breeding strategies tailored to specific climatic conditions.
SN - 0378-4290
ER -