Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), an important legume crop that plays a key role in global food and nutritional security and agricultural sustainability. Lentil production and productivity are increasingly threatened by abiotic stresses such as drought and high temperatures, intensified by climate change. The narrow genetic base of lentil limits its ability to adapt to these challenges, underscoring the need for alternative genetic resources for traits and associated genes mining. Crop wild relatives (CWRs) hold untapped genetic diversity, offering desirable traits to enhance stress resilience and productivity. This study explores the potential of wild lentil species in addressing these challenges. Using species distribution models (SDM), we assessed the impacts of climate change on the distribution and conservation status of the six wild lentil species. Our findings identified vulnerable species, such as Lens culinaris subsp. tomentosus as high priority for conservation and highlighted the critical need for integrated conservation strategies—combining in-situ preservation in natural habitats with ex-situ measures to safeguard these essential genetic resources. To improve drought tolerance in cultivated lentil we also investigated the limited transpiration (TRlim) trait, a water-saving mechanism that restricts transpiration under high Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD). Wild species and interspecific advanced lines were screened for their transpiration response to high VPD and showed high variability in their transpiration responses to high VPD, with several genotypes exhibiting stable yields under water-limited conditions. These results pave the need for incorporating TRlim into breeding programs to develop drought-resilient lentil varieties. We also examined root system architecture (RSA) as a critical factor for water and nutrient uptake efficiency. Using an advanced phenotyping platform, we identified significant differences between wild and cultivated lentil species. C