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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 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.
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 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
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.
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Researchers investigated how beneficial soil fungi called arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can help maize plants resist cadmium toxicity in soils contaminated with both microplastics and heavy metals. They found that high concentrations of polyethylene microplastics worsened cadmium toxicity, but inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi significantly improved plant growth, nutrient uptake, and photosynthesis. The study suggests that these fungi could serve as a biological tool for managing crop health in soils with combined microplastic and heavy metal contamination.
Microplastic influences the ménage à trois among the plant, a fungal pathogen, and a plant growth-promoting fungal species
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Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect the interactions between a plant pathogen and a beneficial fungus in the tomato root zone. The study found that microplastics amplified the harmful effects of the pathogen while also boosting the growth-promoting capabilities of the beneficial fungus, revealing that microplastic contamination can reshape complex biological relationships in agricultural soils.
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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