https://doi.org/10.37229/fsa.fja.2026.07.02

Citrus cultivation in Egypt's calcareous soils faces significant challenges, including a lack of nutrients (particularly iron and phosphorus), soil compact that makes aeration and water absorption difficult, an increase in fungal and bacterial disease such as gummosis, and high salinity that inhibits root growth, resulting in weak growth and low productivity, all of which require an urgent need for solutions. Thus, the current study was conducted over two consecutive seasons 2022-2023 at a private orchard in El Azyma city, El-Beheira governorate, Egypt on acid lime trees (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) grown in sandy soil under drip irrigation system, to ameliorate of calcareous soils through treating these soil by PGPB; plant growth-promoting bacteria (Bacillus velezensis and Cytobacillus firmus) and wood vinegar additions as well as enhancement lime fruit yield and fruit quality under these conditions. Generally, the results revealed that, wood vinegar treatment attained the highest values concerning fruit yield (54.07 and 60.11 kg/ tree in both seasons, respectively) and the peroxidase activity at the two successive seasons. However, the Cytobacillus firmus treatment generated the notable maximum fruit weight and fruit juice percent percentage in both subsequent seasons. Finally, the results showed that adding PGPB reduced leaves total phenols concentration, while increasing the concentrations of proline and ascorbic acid substances. Additionally, during the second season, PGPB ranked second in terms after wood vinegar treatment in increasing the peroxidase enzyme activity, all of these substances were produced by acid lime trees treated by PGPB acts as a primary plant defense system to cope with stresses, when compared to the control. Data obtained reflect different response with varied treatments.