Studies of the Major Gene Expression and Related Metabolites in Cannabinoids Biosynthesis Pathway Influenced by Ascorbic Acid

Abstract Cannabis sativa L. is an annual dioecious plant that belongs to the Cannabaceae family and essential for different pharmaceutical nutritional properties. The most important prevalent cannabinoids in cannabis are cannabidiol delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. application of elicitors effective method improve secondary metabolite production, leading a whole spectrum molecular, genetic, physiological modifications. Therefore, expression changes four key genes (THCAS, CBDAS, PT, OLS) pathway along with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol metabolites fluctuation were surveyed following ascorbic acid as elicitor. was sprayed immediately before flowering acid. Treated untreated (control) plants sampled time courses real-time PCR HPLC experiments. Results showed significant increases THCAS, OLS after treatments. results quantification also indicated metabolites, especially cannabidiol, increased application. This study contributes growing body knowledge functions engineering improving production this plant.