Not AvailableDrought is one of the major impediments in wheat productivity. Traditional breeding and marker
assisted QTL introgression had limited success. Available wheat genomic and RNA-seq data can
decipher novel drought tolerance mechanisms with putative candidate gene and marker discovery.
Drought is frst sensed by root tissue but limited information is available about how roots respond to
drought stress. In this view, two contrasting genotypes, namely, NI5439 41 (drought tolerant) and
WL711 (drought susceptible) were used to generate ~78.2 GB data for the responses of wheat roots to
drought. A total of 45139 DEGs, 13820 TF, 288 miRNAs, 640 pathways and 435829 putative markers
were obtained. Study reveals use of such data in QTL to QTN refnement by analysis on two model
drought-responsive QTLs on chromosome 3B in wheat roots possessing 18 diferentially regulated
genes with 190 sequence variants (173 SNPs and 17 InDels). Gene regulatory networks showed 69
hub-genes integrating ABA dependent and independent pathways controlling sensing of drought,
root growth, uptake regulation, purine metabolism, thiamine metabolism and antibiotics pathways,
stomatal closure and senescence. Eleven SSR markers were validated in a panel of 18 diverse wheat
varieties. For efective future use of fndings, web genomic resources were developed. We report
RNA-Seq approach on wheat roots describing the drought response mechanisms under feld drought
conditions along with genomic resources, warranted in endeavour of wheat productivityNot Availabl
