Envirotyping framework for wheat in Europe

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.