This review compiles experimental studies on wheat to assess how elevated CO₂, higher temperatures, and water deficit interact and affect productivity and water use. By calculating plasticity indices, the authors find that despite CO₂‑induced gains, overall yield generally declines under combined stress, while water consumption often decreases. They highlight the need for more data to improve and validate crop models under future climate scenarios.

The study demonstrates that differential transpiration (DT), wherein vegetative tissues reduce water loss while reproductive tissues maintain transpiration, occurs across most leaf developmental stages of soybean under combined water deficit and heat stress, even at extreme conditions (18% field water capacity and 42°C). DT effectively cools reproductive organs, protecting them from heat-induced damage, and may also function under milder water deficits during heat waves.

The study identified and biochemically characterized four Rubisco activase (Rca) isoforms in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and evaluated their performance during a simulated 5‑day heatwave (+10 °C). Rca10 and its beta variant displayed superior thermal stability, broader optimal temperature range, and enhanced ATP‑hydrolysis and Rubisco reactivation rates, suggesting they could be leveraged to improve cowpea thermotolerance under future climate extremes.