The Role of Copper Oxide Nanomaterials on Ruta graveolens Physiological Response, and IRT1 and CAT Gene Expression

Background Copper oxide nanomaterials’ (NMs) are important for the critical roles of Cu as a micronutrient that its improper concentration could cause toxicity or deficiency in plant. The Nano form of CuO could amplify the effects due to special characteristic of nano materials. Method Treatments of 0.1, 0.5, and 2.5 μM and NM of copper with three replications were applied to plants under hydroponic conditions. Physiological parameters and expression of IRT1 and CAT genes were investigated. Results Copper absorption decreased according to MMs-CuO ˂ NMs-CuO ˂˂ CuSO4 pattern. The positive effects of MMs-CuO on plant copper content were higher than those of nanomaterials and CuSO4. MMs-CuO effect was more significant on plant biomass increase compared to the control. Rue plant needed lower amounts of copper for better plant growth. The treatments increased protein and carotenoids content in leaves compared with control. Changes in total chlorophyll content under three copper forms were very low and were only increased in leaves at 0.1 μM CuSO4. The NMs-CuO and MMs-CuO similarly reduced leaves’ Cu, MDA and ROS contents, and SOD activities. CAT enzyme activity had a similar pattern in three copper forms. CAT enzyme activity was only induced under the lowest level of three forms, while at other levels of Cu, it was reduced. NMs-CuO had a more negative effect on IRT1 relative gene expression in root compared with other iron forms. The IRT1 relative gene expression in shoots was positively affected under 2.5 μM CuSO4, 0.5 μM MMs-CuO, and 0.1 and 2.5 μM NMs CuO treatments. Conclusion The effect of micro- and nano-CuO on physiology and gene expression mechanisms in rue plants is shown to be does-dependent.