Phosphorus mitigates the adverse effects of microplastics pollution on wheat and maize: Impacts on growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant defense

Dissecting Microplastics Stress: Impacts of Type, Size, and Dose on Nutrient Cycling, Growth, and Antioxidant Defense System in Maize Plant

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This study examined how polyester, polyethylene, and nylon microplastics across three size classes and doses affected maize growth, finding that polyethylene particles below 0.212 micrometers at 10 mg/L caused the greatest inhibition—reducing plant height by 30% and triggering antioxidant enzyme increases of over 120%. These agricultural impacts are directly relevant to human health because crop stress from microplastic contamination threatens food productivity and may alter the nutritional composition of staple foods.

Divergent defense strategies and phosphorus limitation underlie wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) responses to PVC microplastics and cadmium co-contamination

The regulated effects of phosphorus addition on rhizosphere microecology under microplastic pollution: a comparison based on different plant types

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A pot experiment found that polyethylene microplastics and phosphorus fertilizers interact in crop-specific ways, altering root growth and soil moisture differently in wheat versus maize. Understanding these interactions matters because microplastic contamination in farmland soils could undermine fertilizer strategies and threaten crop productivity.

Advances in Physiological and Ecological Effects of Microplastic on Crop

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Researchers reviewed how microplastics accumulate in crops — entering through roots and leaves and reaching edible parts — and found they reduce germination, inhibit photosynthesis, and lower crop yields, raising concerns about plastic contamination in the food we eat.

Impact of Microplastics on Plant Growth