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Selenium alleviates the adverse effects of microplastics on kale by regulating photosynthesis, redox homeostasis, secondary metabolism and hormones
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Researchers found that treating soil with selenium could protect kale plants from the harmful effects of microplastic contamination. Microplastics triggered damaging oxidative stress in the plants, but selenium helped restore the balance by boosting antioxidant defenses, improving photosynthesis, and regulating plant hormones. This suggests selenium supplementation could help maintain food crop health in microplastic-contaminated agricultural soils.
Kale is a functional food with anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anemia prevention properties. The harmful effects of the emerging pollutant microplastic (MP) on plants have been widely studied, but there is limited research how to mitigate MP damage on plants. Numerous studies have shown that Se is involved in regulating plant resistance to abiotic stresses. The paper investigated impact of MP and Se on kale growth, photosynthesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism, phytochemicals, and endogenous hormones. Results revealed that MP triggered a ROS burst, which led to breakdown of antioxidant system in kale, and had significant toxic effects on photosynthetic system, biomass, and accumulation of secondary metabolites, as well as a significant decrease in IAA and a significant increase in GA. Under MP supply, Se mitigated the adverse effects of MP on kale by increasing photosynthetic pigment content, stimulating function of antioxidant system, enhancing secondary metabolite synthesis, and modulating hormonal networks.
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Silicon alleviates the toxicity of microplastics on kale by regulating hormones, phytochemicals, ascorbate-glutathione cycling, and photosynthesis
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Researchers found that microplastic pollution inhibits the growth of kale by disrupting its photosynthesis, hormone regulation, and antioxidant defenses. However, adding silicon to the soil helped protect the plants by strengthening their natural stress-response systems, suggesting silicon could be a practical strategy for growing safer food in microplastic-contaminated soils.
Selenium-driven trophic restructuring of soil nematode communities and biochemical regulation alleviate the toxicity caused by microplastic pollution in highland barley
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Researchers investigated whether selenium supplementation could counteract the harmful effects of polyethylene microplastics on highland barley and soil nematode communities. They found that microplastics significantly reduced plant growth metrics and disrupted nematode populations, but selenium application helped restore chlorophyll content, root development, and beneficial soil organism diversity. The study suggests that selenium may serve as a practical tool for mitigating microplastic-induced damage in agricultural soils.
Silicon regulates microplastic-induced phytotoxicity and its detoxification mechanism: A plant-microbe perspective
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Researchers investigated whether silicon supplements could protect kale from the harmful effects of polyethylene microplastics in soil. They found that silicon increased plant biomass by 16-25% and reversed microplastic-induced suppression of soil enzymes, while also promoting beneficial soil bacteria. The study suggests that silicon could be a practical strategy for improving crop resilience in microplastic-contaminated agricultural soils.
Plant electrophysiological characteristics reveal the leaf intracellular nutrient metabolism and stress tolerance underlying Se(IV)-mediated alleviation of polyethylene stress in Plantago asiatica
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Microplastics are increasingly contaminating soil and can stress plants, potentially affecting the food we grow. This study found that adding a small, precise amount of selenium to soil helped plantain plants cope with microplastic pollution by improving how their leaves absorbed water and nutrients — but too much selenium backfired and stopped helping. The takeaway: selenium could be a useful tool for protecting crops from microplastic contamination, but getting the dose right matters, which is good news for keeping our food supply healthier as plastic pollution grows.
Dual-Stress Mitigation of Sclerotinia under Microplastic Toxicity by Nano-Selenium: Redox Balance, Pathogen Suppression, and Transcriptome Reprogramming
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Researchers investigated whether selenium nanoparticles could protect rapeseed plants from combined stress caused by microplastics and the fungal pathogen Sclerotinia. The study found that selenium nanoparticles improved photosynthesis, reduced oxidative damage, and showed strong antifungal activity, suggesting they may help mitigate microplastic-induced phytotoxicity and fungal disease in agricultural settings.
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