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Synergistic fungal consortia enhance maize growth and soil biological functions under microplastic stress
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Tiny plastic particles from packaging waste (microplastics) are building up in farm soil, and this study found they stunt corn plant growth, damage roots, and throw off the soil's natural balance—raising concerns about crop yields and food supply. The good news: researchers found that adding a combo of two beneficial fungi to the soil helped plants fight off this plastic-related stress, offering a natural, low-tech way to protect crops as microplastic pollution spreads through farmland. While this study focused on corn plants rather than direct human health effects, it points to a promising tool for keeping our food supply resilient in an increasingly plast
Abstract Background Polyethylene terephthalate microplastics (PET-MPs) contamination in agricultural soils is an emerging global concern because these persistent particles disrupt soil structure, nutrient dynamics, and plant physiological processes, ultimately threatening crop productivity and food security. Despite their widespread occurrence in agroecosystem, yet their impacts on crop, soil, and microbe interactions remain poorly understood. Beneficial fungi such as Trichoderma and Metarhizium are widely recognized for promoting plant growth and stress tolerance, but their combined potential to alleviate microplastic toxicity has not been systematically evaluated. This study investigated how PET-MPs influence maize growth, redox homeostasis, metabolism, and soil biological functioning, and assessed whether single or combined inoculation with Trichoderma longibrachiatum and Metarhizium anisopliae can mitigate PET − MPs induced stress. Results PET − MPs exposure caused strong growth inhibition in maize, with marked decline in biomass, chlorophyll content, and root development, accompanied by enhanced oxidative stress and membrane damage. These physiological injuries were linked to disrupted antioxidant systems, imbalanced redox metabolites, and major reprogramming of root exudates and central carbon metabolism. Soil nutrient availability, enzyme activities, and microbial community structure were also significantly altered. Inoculation with either Trichoderma or Metarhizium partially mitigated these effects, but their co-application produced a stronger response. The fungal consortium most effectively suppressed reactive oxygen species, restored antioxidant and redox homeostasis, and redirected root metabolism toward sugars, organic acids, and carbon release. At the soil level, the combined fungal inoculation enhanced nitrogen transformations, stimulated key enzymes, and promoted a more active and balanced microbial community under PET-MPs stress. Conclusions PET-MPs imposes severe physiological, biochemical, and ecological constraints on maize and its rhizosphere. Synergistic inoculation with Trichoderma and Metarhizium effectively counteracts these stresses by reinforcing redox balance, metabolic functioning, and soil biological health. This fungal consortium represents a promising, nature − based strategy for improving crop resilience and sustaining soil quality in PET-MPs contaminated agroecosystems. Graphical Abstract
More Papers Like This
Synergistic fungal consortia enhance maize growth and soil biological functions under microplastic stress
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles from bottles and packaging (called microplastics) are building up in farm soil and can stunt crop growth, damaging plants like corn at the cellular level. This study found that adding two natural, beneficial fungi to the soil together helped corn plants resist this plastic-induced stress much better than either fungus alone, offering a promising, low-tech way to protect crops—and ultimately our food supply—as microplastic pollution spreads through farmland.
Synergistic fungal consortia enhance maize growth and soil biological functions under microplastic stress
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics from plastic pollution are building up in farm soils and, according to this study, can stunt corn growth by damaging plant cells and disrupting the soil's nutrient balance. The good news: adding a combo of two beneficial soil fungi helped plants better cope with this stress, boosting growth and restoring soil health. This matters because healthier soil and crops mean more reliable food production as microplastic pollution continues to spread in farmland worldwide.
Additional file 1 of Synergistic fungal consortia enhance maize growth and soil biological functions under microplastic stress
AI summary Read the abstract
I'm not able to write an accurate summary of this paper because the abstract provided only contains "Supplementary Material 1" rather than the actual research content, findings, or methodology. To write a trustworthy TLDR, I'd need the real abstract or key details about what the researchers actually tested and found — for example, which fungi were used, how microplastics affected the soil or corn plants, and what the measured results were. If you can share the full abstract or main paper text, I'll gladly turn it into a clear, accurate summary connecting the findings to why they matter (such as implications for soil health, food crops, and potentially human health through the food chain).
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Tiny plastic particles from things like sewage sludge and plastic mulch used in farming can stunt corn plant growth at higher concentrations, according to new lab research. The study also found a helpful soil bacterium could partially offset this damage, suggesting that soil microbes might one day help protect crops from plastic pollution, though this was tested in water-based lab conditions, not real farm soil. Since corn is a staple crop in many diets, understanding how nanoplastics affect it matters for both food security and for figuring out whether these plastics end up making their way into the food we eat.
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Nanoplastics are increasingly found in soil and crops, and this study on rice found that a common soil fungus (which normally helps plants absorb nutrients) actually made nanoplastic damage worse in the leaves, while helping protect the roots. This matters because it shows that microplastic contamination in farmland doesn't affect crops in a simple, predictable way, soil health interventions meant to help plants could unintentionally backfire in some plant parts, which is important as scientists work out how to keep our food supply safe from plastic pollution.
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