This research was carried out aiming at evaluating the effects of nitrate and ammonium ions on nutrient accumulation, biochemical components and yield of Italian zucchini (cv. Caserta) grown in a hydroponic system under salt stress conditions. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse utilizing an experimental design in randomized blocks, arranged in a 2 x 5 factorial scheme, with 4 replications. The treatments consisted of two forms of nitrogen (nitrate - NO3- and ammonium - NH4+) and 5 electrical conductivity levels of irrigation water (ECw) (0.5, 2.0, 3.5, 5.0 and 6.5 dS m-1). The analysis of the results indicated that supply of N exclusively in NH4+ form promotes greater damage to the leaf membrane and reduction in accumulation of macronutrients and higher Na+/K+, Na+/Ca++ and Na+/Mg++ ratios in the shoots of zucchini plants. Electrical conductivity of irrigation water above 2.0 dS m-1 reduces the accumulation of nutrients in shoot and yield of Italian zucchini plant. The toxicity of NH4+ under Italian zucchini plants overlap the toxicity of the salinity, since its fertilization exclusively with this form of nitrogen inhibits its production, being the NO3- form the most suitable for the cultivation of the species.

HIGHLIGHTS Irrigation with saline effluent from fish farming does not reduce cherry tomato fruit production. The use of saline effluent from fish farming in irrigation reduces production and vigor of cherry tomato seeds. Application of effluent in the appropriate stages promotes production of fruits and seeds of cherry tomato equal to those of the control.

The use of effluent from fish farming in the greenhouse increases the availability of water and reduces the risk of environmental contamination due to improper disposal. Therefore, a study in a greenhouse was carried out to evaluate the effects of fertigation utilizing fish farming effluent at different phenological stages of cherry tomato. Plants of cherry tomato were fertigated with fish farming effluent (E) alternated with tap water (W) at the four phenological stages of the crop (growth, flowering, fruit formation and ripening). The growth, gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence, chloroplast pigments, electrolyte leakage, production and postharvest quality were evaluated. The fertigation with fish farming effluents did not reduce the growth of tomato plants. The fertirrigated plants with fish farming effluents obtained photosynthetic rates and photochemical efficiency similar or superior to the control. There was no interference on photochemical quenching when the plants were fertigated with fish farming effluents. When applied at the flowering stage, fish farming effluent reduces the average fruit weight and increases acidity. For greenhouse cultivation, each application of fish farming effluents, two successive applications of tap water are required. Novelty statement: Use of fish farming effluent did not compromise the growth and photosynthetic activity of cherry tomato plants. Cherry tomato production was compromised when the effluent was applied during growth, flowering and, beginning of fruit set. The fish farming effluent can be used in irrigation without yield losses if alternating with tap water.

Salinization of agricultural areas is one of the main abiotic factors responsible for the reduction of seed germination and vigor. In this context, the use of stress attenuators applied to seeds may contribute to mitigating the effects of salinity and improving the physiological and antioxidant performance of seedlings. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of stress attenuators on the tolerance and antioxidant activity of watermelon Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum & Nakai cultivars under saline conditions. The study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, a 3 × 6 factorial scheme was used to evaluate three salinity levels (0, −0.2, and −0.4 MPa) and six watermelon cultivars. In the second stage, in a 2 × 6 factorial scheme, two cultivars (sensitive and tolerant) were subjected to the combination of salinity (−0.4 MPa) and attenuators: hydropriming, gibberellic acid, salicylic acid, and hydrogen peroxide. Physiological and biochemical traits were evaluated, including hydrogen peroxide content, lipid peroxidation, and the activity of the enzymes, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase. Salinity reduced germination and seedling vigor, with Crimson Sweet, Charleston Gray, and Charleston Super being the most sensitive cultivars, whereas Congo and Omaru exhibited greater tolerance, and Fairfax also showed good performance under saline conditions. The selection of cultivars for the second stage was based not only on physiological tolerance but also on agronomic and commercial relevance, including post-harvest resistance traits. Seed treatment of Crimson Sweet with salicylic acid and hydrogen peroxide increased antioxidant enzyme activity, with increases of up to 103% in ascorbate peroxidase activity, and reduced oxidative damage, with reductions of 44% in hydrogen peroxide and 49% in malondialdehyde levels. In Fairfax, gibberellic acid contributed to osmotic adjustment, promoting increase of up to 76% in total soluble sugars, while pre-germinative treatment with salicylic acid and hydrogen peroxide promoted higher enzyme activity, contributing to the reduction of oxidative stress.

Salt stress is one of the most significant abiotic factors limiting plant growth and crop productivity worldwide, especially in arid and semiarid regions. We aimed to investigate nitrogen fertilization strategies using nitrate and ammoniacal sources during different phenological phases of Italian zucchini cv. Caserta to alleviate salt stress. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse using a randomized block design with four replications. The treatments were as follows: T1 = entire cycle with nitrate nitrogen + 0.50 dS m⁻¹ (control); T2 = entire cycle with nitrate nitrogen + 4.5 dS m⁻¹ (salt stress); T3 = 50% nitrate nitrogen + 50% ammoniacal nitrogen + 4.50 dS m⁻¹; T4 = ammoniacal nitrogen during the vegetative phase + nitrate nitrogen during the reproductive phase + 4.50 dS m⁻¹; T5 = nitrate nitrogen during the vegetative phase + ammoniacal nitrogen during the reproductive phase + 4.50 dS m⁻¹; T6 = entire cycle with ammoniacal nitrogen + 4.50 dS m⁻¹. Under salt stress conditions, Italian zucchini cv. Caserta showed a leaf area of 5783 cm² compared to an average of 4521 cm² under salt stress. Similarly, production per plant reached 1361 g in the control, while under salt stress it averaged only 442 g. However, under salt stress, T2 resulted in higher production compared with T3, T4, T5 and T6, although it was still lower than T1. The use of ammoniacal nitrogen throughout the cycle or during the reproductive phase caused flower abortion. Under salt stress, the application of ammoniacal nitrogen during the vegetative phase (T4) or a 1:1 ammonium–nitrate ratio throughout the cycle (T3) resulted in yields that were comparable to those achieved with nitrate-only fertilization (T2).