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Polypropylene microfibers negatively affect soybean growth and nitrogen fixation regardless of soil type and mycorrhizae presence
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Researchers studied the effects of polypropylene microfibers on soybean growth, nitrogen fixation, and water use efficiency in two different soil types. They found that microfiber contamination consistently reduced vegetative growth and progressively decreased biological nitrogen fixation by up to 27.5% at higher concentrations. The study is the first to demonstrate that polypropylene microfibers can impair biological nitrogen fixation in soybean, raising concerns for both agricultural productivity and soil health.
Recent studies have indicated that soil contamination with microplastics (MPs) can negatively affect agricultural productivity, although these effects vary greatly depending on the context. Furthermore, the mechanisms behind these effects remain largely unknown. In this study, we examined the impact of two concentrations of polypropylene (PP) fibers in the soil (0.4 % and 0.8 % w/w) on soybean growth, nitrogen uptake, biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), and water use efficiency by growing plants in two soil types, with and without arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). PP contamination consistently reduced vegetative growth (-12 %, on average compared to the control), with the severity of this effect varying significantly by soil type (more pronounced in Alfisol than in Vertisol). The extent of BNF progressively reduced with the increase in PP contamination level in both soils (on average, -17.1 % in PP0.4 and -27.5 % in PP0.8 compared to the control), which poses clear agro-environmental concerns. Water use efficiency was also reduced due to PP contamination but only in the Alfisol (-9 %, on average). Mycorrhizal symbiosis did not seem to help plants manage the stress caused by PP contamination, although it did lessen the negative impact on BNF. These findings are the first to demonstrate the effect of PP on BNF in soybean plants, underscoring the need to develop strategies to reduce PP pollution in the soil and to mitigate the impact of PP on the functionality and sustainability of agroecosystems.
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Microplastics affect soybean rhizosphere microbial composition and function during vegetative and reproductive stages
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Researchers conducted a 70-day greenhouse experiment to evaluate how four types of microplastics affect soybean rhizosphere bacterial communities in two soil types. The study found that polyamide microplastics consistently altered bacterial diversity and nitrogen cycling functions, while other plastic types had shorter-term effects, suggesting that different microplastics pose varying risks to agricultural soil microbial ecosystems.
Sub-micron microplastics affect nitrogen cycling by altering microbial abundance and activities in a soil-legume system
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Researchers found that very small (sub-micron) polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics in soil significantly altered nitrogen cycling by changing the abundance and activity of bacteria around soybean roots. While the microplastics did not affect plant growth directly, they increased nitrogen uptake and shifted the balance of nitrogen-processing bacteria. These hidden changes to soil chemistry could have long-term effects on agricultural productivity and the nutritional quality of crops.
Microplastics affect the nitrogen nutrition status of soybean by altering the nitrogen cycle in the rhizosphere soil
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Researchers investigated how three types of microplastics — polystyrene, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride — affect soybean growth by altering nitrogen cycling in the root-zone soil. They found that polyethylene and polystyrene promoted nitrogen availability and soybean growth, while polyvinyl chloride disrupted the nitrogen cycle, reduced beneficial soil microorganisms, and inhibited plant growth. The study suggests that different types of microplastics can have opposing effects on crop nutrition through their impact on soil microbial communities.
Nitrogen fertilization and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi do not mitigate the adverse effects of soil contamination with polypropylene microfibers on maize growth
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Researchers tested whether adding nitrogen fertilizer or beneficial soil fungi could offset the negative effects of polypropylene microfibers on maize plants. They found that neither nitrogen supplementation nor mycorrhizal fungi helped the plants overcome the growth reductions caused by microplastic contamination. The study suggests that microplastics harm crops through mechanisms beyond simple nutrient limitation, and that conventional farming practices may not be sufficient to counteract microplastic damage to soil health.
Effects of microplastic contamination on soil nitrogen and its bioavailability in soybean-maize rotation system
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Researchers conducting a field experiment found that microplastics in agricultural soil disrupt the nitrogen cycle in a soybean-maize rotation system, inhibiting the natural nitrogen fixation that legumes provide and increasing the conversion of ammonium to nitrate — a form more prone to leaching away — raising concerns for long-term soil fertility.
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