Determination of the possible effects of zinc and boron application on CtFAD2 gene mRNA expression levels in aspir (Carthamus tinctorius L.) culture

It is observed that heavy metals that accumulate at high concentration levels in the structure of water and soil cause a genotoxic effect and have a detrimental effect on most of the biomolecules contained in the functional group. As an example, a low concentration of zinc is necessary for all living organisms, while it is one of the elements that adversely affect many living things, especially plants, animals and humans, exposed to a high concentration of zinc. Safflower is an important agricultural plant with high economic value. The resulting oil is quite high in oleic acid and linoleic acid content. In this study, zinc and boron, in different concentrations of heavy metals (0, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640 mg/L) of three Turkish subjected to stress, and one of them from America, four different safflower cultivars (BALCI, LINAS, ASOL, BDYAS-04) root, cotyledon and leaf CtFAD2 responsible for the conversion of oleic acid to linoleic acid are examples of parts received from (FAD2-2, FAD2-4, FAD2-9) gene expression levels of real-time PCR method were determined. Safflower varieties that were grown in the acclimatization cabin for 21 days were subjected to zinc and boron heavy metal stress at different concentrations for 24 hours after this process, and at the end of this period, stem, leaf and cotyledon samples of safflower varieties were taken and RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis and Real-Time PCR analysis were performed. A decrease in the expression levels of FAD2 genes was observed in safflower varieties exposed to increased zinc concentrations (80 mg/L to 160 mg/L), while a re-increase was observed at levels after 160 mg/L and 320 mg/L. When the results obtained in the study were evaluated, it was determined that zinc stress applied to safflower varieties at different concentrations caused an increase in the expression levels of FAD2 genes at low concentrations. As a result, a decrease in the expression levels of FAD2 genes at increased zinc concentrations and a re-increase after 160 mg/L and 320 mg/L, which are considered critical points, led to the activation of the defense mechanism against exposed stress. The activated defense mechanism has been accepted as an indication that FAD2 genes take an active part in the defense against stress.