Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Calcium Nitrate on Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Seedlings Under Salt Stress

Haydar Balcı; Muhsin Yıldız; Murat Kara

doi:10.56430/japro.1885485

EN

Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Calcium Nitrate on Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Seedlings Under Salt Stress

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effects of ascorbic acid (AA) and calcium nitrate (CN) applications on the morpho-physiological and biochemical characteristics of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings under salt stress conditions. The experiment was carried out in a controlled growth chamber, where “Beith Alpha” cucumber seedlings were grown under 150 mM NaCl-induced salt stress. From the two–true-leaf stage onward, AA (0.1 and 0.2 g L^-1) and Ca(NO₃)₂ (1 and 2 g L^-1) were applied as foliar sprays, either individually or in combination. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with three replicates, including a non-saline control (K) and a salt-stressed control (Kp), comprising a total of eight treatment groups. The results showed that salt stress significantly reduced plant height, root length, biomass accumulation, and SPAD values, while increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) content, an indicator of lipid peroxidation, by approximately 3.5-fold. AA and CN applications alleviated these adverse effects in a dose- and parameter-dependent manner. Among the combined treatments, AA-1+CN-1 (0.1 g L^-1 AA + 1 g L^-1 Ca(NO₃)₂) resulted in the greatest increase in root length (88.7%) and provided the most effective antioxidant protection by maintaining MDA content close to control levels (0.26 nmol g^-1). Among the single applications, 2 g L^-1 Ca(NO₃)₂ (CN-2) showed the highest improvement in total fresh weight, dry weight, and leaf area. The effectiveness of AA was found to be dose-dependent, and the higher dose (0.2 g L^-1) did not exhibit the expected growth-promoting effect. In conclusion, the combined foliar application of AA-1 and CN-1 is recommended to enhance root development and reduce oxidative damage in cucumber seedlings under salt stress, whereas CN-2 alone appears to be a more effective strategy when biomass and vegetative growth are the primary objectives.

Keywords

Foliar application, Malondialdehyde (MDA), Morpho-physiological traits, Salinity tolerance

Ethical Statement

This study does not require ethical committee approval.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Horticultural Production (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Haydar Balcı ^*
0000-0003-0210-3639
Türkiye

Muhsin Yıldız
0000-0002-0766-5174
Türkiye

Murat Kara
0000-0003-1011-918X
Türkiye

Publication Date

June 30, 2026

Submission Date

February 9, 2026

Acceptance Date

March 29, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 7 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.56430/japro.1885485

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA87GT74MB

APA

Balcı, H., Yıldız, M., & Kara, M. (2026). Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Calcium Nitrate on Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Seedlings Under Salt Stress. Journal of Agricultural Production, 7(2), 103-109. https://doi.org/10.56430/japro.1885485

AMA

1.Balcı H, Yıldız M, Kara M. Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Calcium Nitrate on Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Seedlings Under Salt Stress. J Agri Pro. 2026;7(2):103-109. doi:10.56430/japro.1885485

Chicago

Balcı, Haydar, Muhsin Yıldız, and Murat Kara. 2026. “Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Calcium Nitrate on Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses of Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus L.) Seedlings Under Salt Stress”. Journal of Agricultural Production 7 (2): 103-9. https://doi.org/10.56430/japro.1885485.

EndNote

Balcı H, Yıldız M, Kara M (June 1, 2026) Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Calcium Nitrate on Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Seedlings Under Salt Stress. Journal of Agricultural Production 7 2 103–109.

IEEE

[1]H. Balcı, M. Yıldız, and M. Kara, “Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Calcium Nitrate on Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Seedlings Under Salt Stress”, J Agri Pro, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 103–109, June 2026, doi: 10.56430/japro.1885485.

ISNAD

Balcı, Haydar - Yıldız, Muhsin - Kara, Murat. “Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Calcium Nitrate on Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses of Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus L.) Seedlings Under Salt Stress”. Journal of Agricultural Production 7/2 (June 1, 2026): 103-109. https://doi.org/10.56430/japro.1885485.

JAMA

1.Balcı H, Yıldız M, Kara M. Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Calcium Nitrate on Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Seedlings Under Salt Stress. J Agri Pro. 2026;7:103–109.

MLA

Balcı, Haydar, et al. “Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Calcium Nitrate on Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses of Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus L.) Seedlings Under Salt Stress”. Journal of Agricultural Production, vol. 7, no. 2, June 2026, pp. 103-9, doi:10.56430/japro.1885485.

Vancouver

1.Haydar Balcı, Muhsin Yıldız, Murat Kara. Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Calcium Nitrate on Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Seedlings Under Salt Stress. J Agri Pro. 2026 Jun. 1;7(2):103-9. doi:10.56430/japro.1885485

Abstract

Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Calcium Nitrate on Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Seedlings Under Salt Stress

Abstract

Keywords

Ethical Statement

References

Details

Primary Language

Subjects

Journal Section

Authors

Publication Date

Submission Date

Acceptance Date

Published in Issue

DOI

IZ

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