Evaluation of Suitable Reference Genes for Quantitative Real-Time PCR in Various Tissues of .

L. is an economically valuable plant with tolerance to drought and salinity. Its leaves are utilized in tea production and pharmaceuticals, while the stem bark serves as a high-quality fiber material. To gain insights into the gene expression patterns of using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), it is crucial to identify appropriate reference genes. This study selected nine candidate genes, including α-tubulin (), β-tubulin (), actin (), cyclophilin (), elongation factor-1α (), the B family of regulatory subunits of protein phosphatase (, , and ), and phosphoglycerate kinase (), to determine the most appropriate reference genes in the leaf, stem, and root tissues of . A comprehensive ranking by geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder software and Venn diagrams was used to screen more stable reference genes in different tissues. The two most stable reference genes were and in leaves, and in stems, and and in roots, respectively. The relative expression values of the four genes involved in proline metabolism under polyethylene glycol treatment were used to validate the screened reference genes, and they exhibited highly stable expression levels. These findings represent the first set of stable reference genes for future gene expression studies in . They significantly contribute to enhancing the accuracy and reliability of gene expression analyses in this economically important plant species.