Highlights: [•] Sodium carbonate and bicarbonate were utilized as resistance inducers against citrus green mould. [•] Treated tissues showed an increase in β-1,3-glucanase, peroxidase, and PAL activity. [•] Transcriptomic analyses confirmed PAL up-regulation, particularly 12h after treatment. [•] HPLC analyses showed an increase in sugars and phytoalexins, particularly sucrose and scoparone. [•] Salts induce citrus fruit defence mechanisms by up-regulating the phenylpropanoid pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]