<p>Global climate change poses serious challenges to plant growth and agricultural sustainability, a situation intensified by past breeding practices that have created genetic bottlenecks in many crops. Fortunately, crop wild relatives (CWRs) offer a powerful solution. By broadening genetic diversity and introducing adaptive traits, CWRs, along with landraces and exotic germplasm, serve as vital genetic reservoirs for strengthening crop resilience against both abiotic and biotic stresses. In addition, recent advances in genetic diversity analysis, genome mapping, and high-throughput sequencing now facilitate the identification of stress-responsive genes and quantitative trait loci in CWRs. Integrating these genomic insights into breeding programs has enabled the development of detailed genomic linkage maps, large-scale global genotyping, and extensive transcriptomic datasets including single nucleotide polymorphisms, proteomics, and metabolomics. Together, these innovations are transforming the discovery and utilization of valuable crop traits, paving the way for more resilient and sustainable agriculture in a changing climate.</p>