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Melatonin Buffers Microplastic-induced Oxidative Stress in Rice by Restoring Redox Balance, Antioxidants Reprogramming and Phytohormone Homeostasis
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Tiny plastic particles in soil and water are damaging rice plants, stunting their growth and reducing photosynthesis—which matters because rice is a staple food for billions of people worldwide. Researchers found that treating rice with melatonin (a natural hormone found in plants and animals) helped protect the plants by boosting their internal antioxidant defenses, offering a promising, low-cost way to keep crops healthy even as microplastic pollution spreads through farmland. This is early-stage plant research, not a human treatment, but it points to practical strategies for safeguarding food supplies as plastic contamination becomes more widespread
Microplastic (MP) contamination poses an emerging threat to crop productivity. It is essential to find out cost-effective strategies to mitigate injurious effects of MPs on crops. We investigated the comparative phytotoxicity of four different microplastics (MPs, 4 mg L− 1) i.e. polyethylene (PE), polyurethane (PU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as well as evaluated the protective role of melatonin (MEL, 6 mg L− 1) in rice grown hydroponically. MPs and MEL in selected doses were added to individual glass containers having rice plants and various physiological and biochemical traits were recorded. All MPs significantly reduced biomass, photosynthetic pigments and gas exchange attributes. PE emerged as most hazardous MPs for rice plants. PE-MPs, decreased shoot and root biomasses by 61% and 58%, respectively, compared to the control. PE, PU, PET, and PVC also suppressed Pn significantly up to 52, 45, 36, and 21%, respectively. MP in root zone increased malondialdehyde (117%) and H₂O₂ levels (37%), altered antioxidant activities, disrupted osmolyte balance, and suppressed key defense-related metabolites. Hormonal homeostasis was markedly affected by all MPs, characterized by elevated abscisic acid (73% due to PE) and reduced indole-3-acetic acid and gibberellic acid levels, alongside increased (293% by PE) plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase activity. Exogenous MEL application substantially alleviated MP-induced toxicity. The MEL-treated plants were strongly associated with higher activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, POD, GR), improved redox balance (GSH/GSSG), enhanced osmo-protection and increased stress-related protective metabolites. PC1 clearly separated MP-only treatments from MP + MEL treatments, demonstrating that this axis represents a physiological stress-to-recovery gradient. PC2 primarily represented a hormonal and metabolic regulation dimension. Overall, these findings demonstrate that melatonin effectively buffers MP-induced stress in rice and emerge as a protective regulator to sustain crop performance under microplastic-contaminated environments.
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Lead pollution and microplastics in soil team up to stunt rice plants and shrink harvests—bad news since rice is a staple food for billions. This study found that adding two natural soil treatments, biochar (a charcoal-like soil additive) and melatonin (yes, the same hormone in your sleep supplements), helped rice plants fight off this stress, boosting yields and cutting lead uptake by over a third. While this research was done in controlled greenhouse conditions rather than real-world farms, it points to a promising, low-cost way to grow safer, more abundant food in increasingly polluted soil.
Co-application of biochar and melatonin enhances rice resilience to combined lead and microplastics stress via modulating antioxidant defense, hormonal regulation, gene expression, and soil quality
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Lead pollution and microplastics in soil team up to stunt rice growth and reduce harvests — a real concern since rice is a staple food for billions. This study found that adding charcoal-like "biochar" plus melatonin (a natural compound) to contaminated soil helped rice plants defend themselves, absorb less lead, and produce nearly as much grain as healthy plants, suggesting a practical way to grow safer food in polluted farmland.
Reclaiming multi-contaminated soil: melatonin alleviates cadmium and microplastic toxicity to restore rice growth and yield
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Researchers investigated whether melatonin could mitigate the combined toxicity of cadmium and microplastics in agricultural soils to restore rice growth and yield. The study found that melatonin treatment modulated plant physiological function, reduced cadmium uptake, and improved soil properties, offering a promising approach to help crops withstand multi-contaminant stress from both heavy metals and microplastics.
Biochar and melatonin alleviate microplastic–cadmium (MP-Cd) stress in rice by enhancing antioxidant activity and regulating Cd transport
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Microplastics and cadmium (a toxic heavy metal) in soil can build up in rice plants, threatening both crop yields and the safety of the food supply. This study found that combining biochar (a charcoal-like soil additive) with melatonin significantly helped rice plants resist this pollution—boosting their natural defenses while blocking cadmium from being absorbed into the plant tissue we eat. While this research was done in controlled conditions rather than real-world farms, it points to a promising, low-cost strategy for growing safer rice in increasingly polluted soils.
Melatonin Defends Against the Oxidative Stress by Preventing the Uptake of Nanoplastics and Activating the Antioxidant System in Paeonia ostii.
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Scientists found that melatonin (a natural hormone) can protect plants from tiny plastic particles by blocking them from entering plant cells and reducing harmful damage inside the plant. This matters because these microscopic plastics are spreading everywhere in our environment and getting into our food chain. While this study only looked at plants, it suggests melatonin might help protect living things from plastic pollution - though more research is needed to know if this applies to humans.
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