Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Environmental Sources Human Health Effects Sign in to save

Microplastics in the Soil at Sub‐Toxic Concentrations Cause Metabolic Changes Decreasing Fungal Pathogen Susceptibility in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>

Physiologia Plantarum 2025 1 citation ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 43 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Sara Pignattelli, Marco Dainelli, Marco Dainelli, Marco Dainelli, Marco Dainelli, Marco Dainelli, Ilaria Colzi, Ilaria Colzi, Marco Dainelli, Sara Pignattelli, Sara Pignattelli, Sara Pignattelli, Sara Pignattelli, Ilaria Colzi, Cristina Gonnelli Sara Pignattelli, Costanza Cicchi, Ilaria Colzi, Costanza Cicchi, Ilaria Colzi, Ilaria Colzi, Andrea Coppi, Ilaria Colzi, Sara Pignattelli, Sara Pignattelli, Ivan Baccelli, Ilaria Colzi, Stéphanie Boutet, Andrea Coppi, Marco Dainelli, Ilaria Colzi, Marco Dainelli, Sara Pignattelli, Andrea Coppi, Andrea Coppi, Sara Pignattelli, Ivan Baccelli, Simone Luti, Andrea Coppi, Ilaria Colzi, Sara Pignattelli, Andrea Coppi, Andrea Coppi, Cristina Gonnelli Cristina Gonnelli Cristina Gonnelli Ilaria Colzi, Sara Pignattelli, Sara Pignattelli, Cristina Gonnelli Susanna Pollastri, Cristina Gonnelli Ilaria Colzi, Francesco Loreto, Cristina Gonnelli Luigia Pazzagli, Marco Dainelli, Cristina Gonnelli Massimiliano Corso, Cristina Gonnelli Andrea Coppi, Andrea Coppi, Cristina Gonnelli Cristina Gonnelli

Summary

This laboratory study grew the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana in soil containing PET or PVC microplastics and then challenged the plants with a fungal pathogen. Surprisingly, low concentrations of PVC microplastics appeared to prime the plant's immune response, making it more resistant to infection — demonstrated by smaller fungal lesions and higher levels of defensive compounds. However, PVC also reduced plant biomass, and the overall picture was mixed rather than uniformly harmful or beneficial. The results highlight the complex, concentration-dependent ways microplastics can interfere with plant-pathogen interactions in agricultural soils.

Polymers

PE PET PVC

To unravel the complex interactions between microplastics (MPs), plants, and pathogens, Arabidopsis thaliana plants were grown for 3 weeks in soils containing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) MPs (0.2% and 0.5% w/w), and leaves were then exposed to the PAMP (Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern) protein cerato-platanin (CP) or Botrytis cinerea conidia. PET caused a stimulation of stomatal conductance, and PVC decreased the aboveground biomass of A. thaliana plants. PVC (0.2%) triggered a primed state in A. thaliana, enhancing its response to B. cinerea infection and cerato-platanin. This was demonstrated by decreased lesion size, enhanced ROS generation, and elevated camalexin synthesis following PAMP elicitation, and increased levels of defensive isothiocyanate and phenylpropanoid metabolites. Our results indicate that MPs also affect soil structure, ionome balance, and specialised metabolite accumulation. However, MPs did not provide an unambiguous response, underscoring challenges in formulating a model of plant response to MPs when exposed to pathogens.

Read via DOI PubMed PMC Full Text Download PDF

Share this paper

Post Share Share Pin Email