Physiological reactions and thermal protein dynamics in coneflower under drought stress

Plant cells have evolved to understand the various signals in their surroundings and respond to them by modulating the expression of genes. Drought is a natural and recurrent climatic feature in most parts of the world and plays an important and limiting role in crop yields. In this study, to ensure the stress on the medicinal herb of coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), the proline, potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen content of the leaves were evaluated in a completely randomized design with three replications, each of which was repeated in three pots. Also, expression of heat shock proteins in leaf tissue under four levels of drought stress irrigation at 25%, 50%, 75% and 85% of crop capacity was evaluated. The results showed a significant increase in the amount of proline, potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen in leaf tissue. Also, examination of thermal shock protein expression using Real-Time PCR indicated that drought stress significantly increased expression of heat shock protein in all studied treatments, which also proved the changes caused by stress. In general, the coneflower plant resists some degree of resistance using of some protective mechanisms, such as increasing proline and heat shock proteins content.