Unravelling heat stress tolerance at the reproductive stage in canola (Brassica napus L.)

Brassica napus (canola) is a major global oilseed crop, vulnerable to heat stress during reproduction. This thesis integrates physiological, proteomic, and transcriptomic analyses to elucidate heat response mechanisms. Controlled experiments revealed stage-specific sensitivity in male and female gametophytes, with cultivar-specific resilience patterns. Proteomic profiling identified 474 heat-responsive proteins, notably heat shock proteins and membrane integrity pathways in heat-resilient AV-Ruby. Transcriptomic analysis detected 36,934 DEGs, including AV-Ruby–specific enrichment in DNA repair, ROS detoxification, and stress mitigation. These findings highlight key genes and pathways underpinning reproductive heat resilience, providing molecular targets for breeding heat tolerant B. napus in a warming climate.