The genus Elytrigia (Thinopyrum) exhibit outstanding disease resistance and serve as important members of the tertiary gene pool of wheat. The exploration and application of disease-resistant genes from Elytrigia have provided critical support for the wheat improvement in disease resistance. As early as the 1920s, reports on distant hybridization between wheat and Elytrigia emerged. Over the past century, numerous disease-resistant genes have been identified in Elytrigia species and multiple disease-resistant germplasms have been developed by distant hybridization and molecular chromosome engineering and breeding of high-yielding and disease-resistant cultivars such as "Xiaoyan 6", which has made significant contributions to wheat breeding and food security. This article systematically reviews the general of Elytrigia genus species, the research progress on genes resistant to common fungal diseases such as stripe rust, leaf rust, stem rust, powdery mildew, Fusarium head blight, and crown rot, and summarizes advances in creating novel germplasm and breeding applications of disease-resistant genes through distant hybridization and molecular chromosome engineering. Furthermore, it discusses challenges in the exploration and application of disease-resistant genes from Elytrigia, and prospects future research directions. This review is structured into the aforementioned five sections, aiming to provide a scientific basis for in-depth analysis of the mechanisms of exogenous disease-resistant genes and enhance their utilization efficiency in wheat breeding programs.