Why stress‐resistant crops remain a scientific promise rather than a farming reality? Bridging the gap between genetic discovery and agricultural impact

Abstract Despite decades of intensive research and thousands of publications reporting stress‐related genes and QTLs associated with drought, salinity, heat, and other abiotic stresses, one pressing question looms large: Why do stress‐resistant crops remain largely absent from our fields? The answer is not rooted in a single flaw but in a complex interplay of scientific, technical, regulatory, and socio‐economic barriers that have collectively hindered the translation of genetic discoveries into practical agricultural applications. To understand why stress‐resistant varieties have not become mainstream, we must dissect the multifaceted bottlenecks—ranging from biological complexity to policy and adoption hurdles—that impede the path from gene discovery to on‐farm impact.