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Does Microplastics from Biopolymer-Coated Fertilizer Restrict Potato Growth? Insights into the Role of Microbial Community and Function Genes
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A study tested microplastics from biodegradable fertilizer coatings in soil growing potatoes. Even at the highest amount tested, equal to 100 years of buildup, potato yield was not significantly affected, though the microplastics did change soil bacteria types and genes involved in carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling.
Biopolymer-coated fertilizers (BCFs) are considered an ideal alternative to conventional fertilizers. However, limited information is currently available concerning the influence of microplastics (MPs) from BCF residual coatings (BCF-MPs) on soil-plant interactions, particularly concerning the microbial community and functional genes. Here, the response of the bacterial community, soil functional genes related to the C, N, and P, as well as potato growth, to BCF-MPs were investigated. The results indicated that BCF-MPs did not significantly decrease potato yield, even at the highest application rate, which is equivalent to a 100-year residual dose. Additionally, BCF-MPs increased the relative abundance of Gemmatimonadota and Chloroflexi while decreasing the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. BCF-MPs decreased genes involved in soil C (Calvin cycle), N (denitrification and nitrification), and P cycles (inorganic P solubilization), while enhancing genes associated with soil C (Arnon-Buchanan cycle, and Wood-Ljungdahl pathway), N (N fixation), and P cycles (phosphonate mineralization). Structural equation modeling (SEM) and Mantel test analyses revealed that the functional genes involved in soil C (glpX), N (nasA, napB, narG, and narH), and P (phnC and phnD) cycles significantly impacted potato yield. Although BCF-MPs induced differential alterations in the bacterial community and functional genes involved in C, N, and P cycling, potato yield was not significantly altered. Overall, our results have great implications for assessing the environmental safety of BCF in agricultural.
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