A TAF10-ERF109 Transcriptional Module Directs Flavonoid-Based Stress Resilience and Yield Enhancement in Foxtail Millet and Wheat.

To ensure sustainable agricultural production under escalating environmental constraints such as drought and salinity, innovative strategies are urgently needed. Here, we reveal in foxtail millet (Setaria italica) that transcription factors TAF10 and ERF109 form a functional complex which co-activates the expression of key flavonoid biosynthesis genes (SiPAL, SiF3'H, SiFLS, SiF3H), thereby enhancing abiotic stress tolerance. Application of specific flavonoids (apigenin, naringenin, hesperetin) rescues stress-sensitive phenotypes in ERF109-RNAi and taf10 lines. Importantly, field-based application protocols for apigenin were established in both foxtail millet and wheat (Triticum aestivum), leading to yield increases of 12.3%-19.6% in wheat and 15.8%-23.9% in foxtail millet under drought and saline field conditions. Our study not only delineates a conserved transcriptional mechanism regulating flavonoid-mediated stress resilience but also delivers a translatable, eco-friendly biostimulant strategy to enhance crop productivity in stress-affected environments.