The Effect of Different Concentrations of Salicylic Acid on Expression of Stilbene Synthase Gene and Production of Resveratrol in Grape cv. Soltani

The secondary metabolites of plants have been considered due to their diversity and roles in plants and human health. Grapevine is one of the plants that have secondary compounds with medicinal properties. such compounds include resveratrol which is a phenolic compound from the stilbenoid group. In order to investigate the resveratrol production under the effect of an elicitor, a CRD design with four replications using Soltani cultivar was done.

 The salicylic acid (SA) was used as an elicitor with variable concentrations including 0, 10-4, 10-5, 10-6 and was introduced into MS medium without hormones to examine it`s stress effects. At the molecular level, the effect of SA on the expression of stilbene-synthase gene was evaluated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. In the biochemical experiment, the rate of resveratrol production was measured by HPLC.

 Stilbene-synthase expression analysis showed that SA with a concentration of 10-4 M had a positive and incremental effect on gene expression and showed a 35.48% of increase compared to the control state, and also the concentration of 10-5 M increased the gene expression 5.65% in relation with control state. In the biochemical experiment, increasing in production of resveratrol was observed in 10-4 M treatment compared to the control treatment (6.1 µg) and 10-5 M treatment (3.25 µg) did not show a significant difference with the control sample.

 SA as an elicitor and stimulant of resveratrol production could enhance the expression of stilbene-synthase gene followed by enhancing the medicinal properties of the Vitis plant.