Zhengqi Ma , Wei Wang

Institute of Life Sciences, Jiyang College of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Triticeae Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol. 16, No. 4   
Received: 17 Jun., 2025    Accepted: 30 Jul., 2025    Published: 17 Aug., 2025

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Root structure plays a key role in the growth, development, nutrient absorption and stress resistance of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). In recent years, transcriptomics and functional genomics studies have found that transcription factors are important molecules that regulate the formation and remodeling of root system architecture (RSA), affecting its development by regulating the gene expression network in the process of root initiation, elongation and branching. This study reviewed the main transcription factor families closely related to barley root development, such as NAC, MYB, WRKY and bHLH, and combined with the results of transcriptional expression analysis and functional verification, in-depth discussion of their role in regulating root morphology, and selected representative key transcription factors such as HvNAC005, HvWRKY23 and HvMYB1 as cases to explain their regulatory mechanisms on root development under salt stress, disease stress and phosphorus deficiency. This study hopes to provide theoretical support for the analysis of the molecular regulatory network of barley root traits and provide potential targets for breeding efficient and stress-resistant barley varieties.

Barley; Root system architecture; Transcription factor; Gene regulation; Stress response