Effects of nutrient media including heavy metals at different concentrations in in vitro conditions on the growth of squash (Cucurbita pepo L.)

Squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) is a vegetable species that is appreciated and consumed in the Türkiye world and in the world. Its cultivation is carried out both in the open field and greenhouse. Heavy metals create adverse conditions for all living things due to their toxic effects. In this study, key heavy metals like aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) were added to the nutrient medium (Murashige and Skoog-MS)at different concentrations (0, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 μM). Squash seeds were germinated under in vitro conditions. During the research, the number of leaves and roots, stem and root lengths were determined. According to the results, the number of leaves was the highest in the control group for all heavy metals. The number of roots decreased as the heavy metal concentration increased. While stem length reached the highest number in all heavy metals in the control group, root lengths had the lowest levels at 400 and 500 μM doses. Considering these results, it has been revealed that as the dose of heavy metals increases, the growth of the plant is retarded