Salinity is an important environmental stressor in arid, semi-arid, and coastal regions, primarily due to poor drainage, excessive fertilization, and proximity to the sea. Treating plants with exogenous organic acids may enhance their ability to survive under stressful conditions. In the present experiment, the effects of oxalic acid (OA) on strawberry plant growth and fruit quality were studied under salinity conditions. Day-neutral 'Albion' strawberry cultivar strawberry plants were planted in pots and 1 month after planting, salinity (35 mM Sodium chloride) and OA treatments (2.5, 5, 10 and 20 mM) were carried out. The plants were evaluated 60 days after the treatment's initiation. OA treatments decreased the electrical conductivity (EC) value of the soil under salinity. Salinity stress decreased root:shoot dry weight and the relative growth rate of plant biomass. OA treatments improved leaf cortical cell expansion and xylem conduit diameter under salinity conditions. L-ascorbic acid and malic acid increased with OA treatments. The study revealed that a 10-mM dose of OA was more effective than the other doses, indicating reduced salt stress damage. The results demonstrate that OA can be effectively used in strawberry cultivation under saline conditions.
