Paper · 2025 · Journal of soil science and plant nutrition

Efficient CO2 Assimilation and Harmonization of Defensive Mechanisms Via Whey Protein or Ascorbic Acid Plus Humic Acid Applications to Enhance Fruit Yield and Quality in Salt-Stressed “Cara Cara” Orange Trees

Ahmed M. Fikry; M. S. Aboryia; A. Osman; et al.

16
claims
32
verbatim quotes
7
citations
3
research areas
✓
Open access · cc-by

Abstract

Abstract The variety of navel orange known as “Cara Cara” trees are greatly affected by soil salinity, which adversely influences yield and quality. Therefore, adopting the use of safe and inexpensive materials is crucial in this case. Herein, bio-stimulants (whey protein hydrolysates, and humic acid), and ascorbic acid could be utilized to promote plant growth in both normal and salt-stress environments. Two field trials were implemented to investigate the response of navel orange trees to whey proteins hydrolyzed (WPH) with pepsin (PEH at a concentration of 1000 mg L −1 ) and papain (PAH at a concentration of 1000 mg L −1 ), or ascorbic acid (ASA) at a concentration of 1000 mg L −1 , and/or humic acid (HA) (applied to the soil at a concentration of 1000 mg L −1 ). The changes in fruit yield, fruit quality, physio-biochemical attributes, and antioxidant defense systems under salinity stress (with an electrical conductivity of 5.14 dS m −1 ) were estimated. All treatments involving HA with WPH or ASA significantly improved various fruit yield and quality traits, physiological and photosynthetic performance attributes as well as enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, comparing to the check treatment in both seasons. In this context, PEH + HA treatment was the efficient practice for increasing fruit yield per tree by 80.3 and 82.7%, total acidity by 162.3 and 250.0%, vitamin C by 10.7 and 13.6%, total soluble solids by 12.5 and 8.3%, net photosynthetic rate by 82.3 and 80.9%, relative water content by 27.9 and 28.0%, and membrane stability index by 44.2 and 43.0%, while decreasing electrolyte leakage by 56.0 and 57.0%, and malondialdehyde by 57.8 and 58.3% during two seasons, respectively, as compared to check treatment. Also, PEH + HA treatment showed the highest potentiality for ameliorating the defensive mechanism indices elevating catalase by 17.3 and 17.2%, super oxide dismutase by 122.2 and 122.1%, and glutathione by 97.9 and 99.0%, while suppressing hydrogen peroxide by 45.7 and 45.6% and superoxide radical by 47.9 and 49.3%, during the two seasons, respectively, as compared to the check treatment. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that the values of most fruit yield and quality traits, photosynthetic efficiency, physiological performance and ant-oxidative indices obtained with application of PAH + HA and ASA + HA treatments were as similar as those of gained by PEH + HA. Therefore, the outcomes of the current study indicated that using integrated PEH + HA, PAH + HA and ASA + HA treatments are considered helpful practices for growing citrus plants and maintaining yield and quality in saline soil circumstances.

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Claims 16

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed fruit yield per tree by 80.3 and 82.7% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
fruit yield per treee0
Direction
increasinge0
Value
80.3 and 82.7%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment was the efficient practice for increasing fruit yield per tree by 80.3 and 82.7%, total acidity by 162.3 and 250.0%, vitamin C by 10.7 and 13.6%, total soluble solids by 12.5 and 8.3%, net photosynthetic rate by 82.3 and 80.9%, relative water content by 27.9 and 28.0%, and membrane stability index by 44.2 and 43.0%, while decreasing electrolyte leakage by 56.0 and 57.0%, and malondialdehyde by 57.8 and 58.3% during two seasons, respectively, as compared to check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1255–1751 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed total acidity by 162.3 and 250.0% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
total aciditye0
Direction
increasinge0
Value
162.3 and 250.0%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment was the efficient practice for increasing fruit yield per tree by 80.3 and 82.7%, total acidity by 162.3 and 250.0%, vitamin C by 10.7 and 13.6%, total soluble solids by 12.5 and 8.3%, net photosynthetic rate by 82.3 and 80.9%, relative water content by 27.9 and 28.0%, and membrane stability index by 44.2 and 43.0%, while decreasing electrolyte leakage by 56.0 and 57.0%, and malondialdehyde by 57.8 and 58.3% during two seasons, respectively, as compared to check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1255–1751 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed vitamin C by 10.7 and 13.6% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
vitamin Ce0
Direction
increasinge0
Value
10.7 and 13.6%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment was the efficient practice for increasing fruit yield per tree by 80.3 and 82.7%, total acidity by 162.3 and 250.0%, vitamin C by 10.7 and 13.6%, total soluble solids by 12.5 and 8.3%, net photosynthetic rate by 82.3 and 80.9%, relative water content by 27.9 and 28.0%, and membrane stability index by 44.2 and 43.0%, while decreasing electrolyte leakage by 56.0 and 57.0%, and malondialdehyde by 57.8 and 58.3% during two seasons, respectively, as compared to check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1255–1751 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed total soluble solids by 12.5 and 8.3% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
total soluble solidse0
Direction
increasinge0
Value
12.5 and 8.3%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment was the efficient practice for increasing fruit yield per tree by 80.3 and 82.7%, total acidity by 162.3 and 250.0%, vitamin C by 10.7 and 13.6%, total soluble solids by 12.5 and 8.3%, net photosynthetic rate by 82.3 and 80.9%, relative water content by 27.9 and 28.0%, and membrane stability index by 44.2 and 43.0%, while decreasing electrolyte leakage by 56.0 and 57.0%, and malondialdehyde by 57.8 and 58.3% during two seasons, respectively, as compared to check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1255–1751 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed net photosynthetic rate by 82.3 and 80.9% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
net photosynthetic ratee0
Direction
increasinge0
Value
82.3 and 80.9%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment was the efficient practice for increasing fruit yield per tree by 80.3 and 82.7%, total acidity by 162.3 and 250.0%, vitamin C by 10.7 and 13.6%, total soluble solids by 12.5 and 8.3%, net photosynthetic rate by 82.3 and 80.9%, relative water content by 27.9 and 28.0%, and membrane stability index by 44.2 and 43.0%, while decreasing electrolyte leakage by 56.0 and 57.0%, and malondialdehyde by 57.8 and 58.3% during two seasons, respectively, as compared to check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1255–1751 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed relative water content by 27.9 and 28.0% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
relative water contente0
Direction
increasinge0
Value
27.9 and 28.0%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment was the efficient practice for increasing fruit yield per tree by 80.3 and 82.7%, total acidity by 162.3 and 250.0%, vitamin C by 10.7 and 13.6%, total soluble solids by 12.5 and 8.3%, net photosynthetic rate by 82.3 and 80.9%, relative water content by 27.9 and 28.0%, and membrane stability index by 44.2 and 43.0%, while decreasing electrolyte leakage by 56.0 and 57.0%, and malondialdehyde by 57.8 and 58.3% during two seasons, respectively, as compared to check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1255–1751 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed membrane stability index by 44.2 and 43.0% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
membrane stability indexe0
Direction
increasinge0
Value
44.2 and 43.0%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment was the efficient practice for increasing fruit yield per tree by 80.3 and 82.7%, total acidity by 162.3 and 250.0%, vitamin C by 10.7 and 13.6%, total soluble solids by 12.5 and 8.3%, net photosynthetic rate by 82.3 and 80.9%, relative water content by 27.9 and 28.0%, and membrane stability index by 44.2 and 43.0%, while decreasing electrolyte leakage by 56.0 and 57.0%, and malondialdehyde by 57.8 and 58.3% during two seasons, respectively, as compared to check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1255–1751 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed electrolyte leakage by 56.0 and 57.0% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
electrolyte leakagee0
Direction
decreasinge0
Value
56.0 and 57.0%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment was the efficient practice for increasing fruit yield per tree by 80.3 and 82.7%, total acidity by 162.3 and 250.0%, vitamin C by 10.7 and 13.6%, total soluble solids by 12.5 and 8.3%, net photosynthetic rate by 82.3 and 80.9%, relative water content by 27.9 and 28.0%, and membrane stability index by 44.2 and 43.0%, while decreasing electrolyte leakage by 56.0 and 57.0%, and malondialdehyde by 57.8 and 58.3% during two seasons, respectively, as compared to check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1255–1751 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed malondialdehyde by 57.8 and 58.3% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
malondialdehydee0
Direction
decreasinge0
Value
57.8 and 58.3%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment was the efficient practice for increasing fruit yield per tree by 80.3 and 82.7%, total acidity by 162.3 and 250.0%, vitamin C by 10.7 and 13.6%, total soluble solids by 12.5 and 8.3%, net photosynthetic rate by 82.3 and 80.9%, relative water content by 27.9 and 28.0%, and membrane stability index by 44.2 and 43.0%, while decreasing electrolyte leakage by 56.0 and 57.0%, and malondialdehyde by 57.8 and 58.3% during two seasons, respectively, as compared to check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1255–1751 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed catalase by 17.3 and 17.2% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
catalasee0
Direction
elevatinge0
Value
17.3 and 17.2%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment showed the highest potentiality for ameliorating the defensive mechanism indices elevating catalase by 17.3 and 17.2%, super oxide dismutase by 122.2 and 122.1%, and glutathione by 97.9 and 99.0%, while suppressing hydrogen peroxide by 45.7 and 45.6% and superoxide radical by 47.9 and 49.3%, during the two seasons, respectively, as compared to the check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1758–2143 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed super oxide dismutase by 122.2 and 122.1% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
super oxide dismutasee0
Direction
elevatinge0
Value
122.2 and 122.1%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment showed the highest potentiality for ameliorating the defensive mechanism indices elevating catalase by 17.3 and 17.2%, super oxide dismutase by 122.2 and 122.1%, and glutathione by 97.9 and 99.0%, while suppressing hydrogen peroxide by 45.7 and 45.6% and superoxide radical by 47.9 and 49.3%, during the two seasons, respectively, as compared to the check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1758–2143 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed glutathione by 97.9 and 99.0% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
glutathionee0
Direction
elevatinge0
Value
97.9 and 99.0%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment showed the highest potentiality for ameliorating the defensive mechanism indices elevating catalase by 17.3 and 17.2%, super oxide dismutase by 122.2 and 122.1%, and glutathione by 97.9 and 99.0%, while suppressing hydrogen peroxide by 45.7 and 45.6% and superoxide radical by 47.9 and 49.3%, during the two seasons, respectively, as compared to the check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1758–2143 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed hydrogen peroxide by 45.7 and 45.6% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
hydrogen peroxidee0
Direction
suppressinge0
Value
45.7 and 45.6%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment showed the highest potentiality for ameliorating the defensive mechanism indices elevating catalase by 17.3 and 17.2%, super oxide dismutase by 122.2 and 122.1%, and glutathione by 97.9 and 99.0%, while suppressing hydrogen peroxide by 45.7 and 45.6% and superoxide radical by 47.9 and 49.3%, during the two seasons, respectively, as compared to the check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1758–2143 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PEH + HA changed superoxide radical by 47.9 and 49.3% versus the check treatment over two seasons.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PEH + HAe0
Outcome
superoxide radicale0
Direction
suppressinge0
Value
47.9 and 49.3%e0
Qualifier
two seasonse0
Comparator
check treatmente0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“PEH + HA treatment showed the highest potentiality for ameliorating the defensive mechanism indices elevating catalase by 17.3 and 17.2%, super oxide dismutase by 122.2 and 122.1%, and glutathione by 97.9 and 99.0%, while suppressing hydrogen peroxide by 45.7 and 45.6% and superoxide radical by 47.9 and 49.3%, during the two seasons, respectively, as compared to the check treatment.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1758–2143 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PAH + HA gave similar yield, quality, photosynthetic and antioxidant measures to PEH + HA.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
PAH + HAe0
Outcome
fruit yield and quality traits, photosynthetic efficiency, physiological performance and ant-oxidative indicese0
Direction
similare0
Comparator
PEH + HAe0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“the values of most fruit yield and quality traits, photosynthetic efficiency, physiological performance and ant-oxidative indices obtained with application of PAH + HA and ASA + HA treatments were as similar as those of gained by PEH + HA.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 2185–2424 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

ASA + HA gave similar yield, quality, photosynthetic and antioxidant measures to PEH + HA.

Taxon
Orange Treest0
Treatment
ASA + HAe0
Outcome
fruit yield and quality traits, photosynthetic efficiency, physiological performance and ant-oxidative indicese0
Direction
similare0
Comparator
PEH + HAe0

Verbatim

t0

““Cara Cara” Orange Trees”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 184–208 · show in text ↑
e0

“the values of most fruit yield and quality traits, photosynthetic efficiency, physiological performance and ant-oxidative indices obtained with application of PAH + HA and ASA + HA treatments were as similar as those of gained by PEH + HA.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 2185–2424 · show in text ↑

other · quality: sugar starch · Citrus sinensis (sweet orange)Positive and negative results

8 papers: 6 positive, 2 negative or no effect

5 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative

  1. no effect
  2. no effect
  3. positive

4 papers more in this group

See all 8 papers →

other · molecular: metabolites · Citrus sinensis (sweet orange)Results agree

2 papers: 2 positive, 0 negative or no effect

1 paper in the same direction as this paper

  1. positive
See all 2 papers →

other · physiology: antioxidant enzymes · Citrus sinensis (sweet orange)Results agree

3 papers: 3 positive, 0 negative or no effect

2 papers in the same direction as this paper

  1. positive
  2. positive
See all 3 papers →

other · quality: phytochemicals · Citrus sinensis (sweet orange)Results agree

3 papers: 3 positive, 0 negative or no effect

2 papers in the same direction as this paper

  1. positive
  2. positive
See all 3 papers →

other · yield · Citrus sinensis (sweet orange)Results agree

11 papers: 11 positive, 0 negative or no effect

10 papers in the same direction as this paper

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

7 papers more in this group

See all 11 papers →

Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.