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Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus Alleviates Charged Nanoplastic Stress in Host Plants via Enhanced Defense-Related Gene Expressions and Hyphal Capture
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Researchers discovered that a beneficial root fungus helped lettuce plants cope with nanoplastic stress, boosting shoot growth by 25 to 100 percent compared to unprotected plants. The fungus captured nanoplastics on its thread-like structures and activated defense genes in the plant. The study suggests that naturally occurring soil fungi could play a role in reducing the harmful effects of nanoplastics on crops.
Contamination of small-sized plastics is recognized as a factor of global change. Nanoplastics (NPs) can readily enter organisms and pose significant ecological risks. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are the most ubiquitous and impactful plant symbiotic fungi, regulating essential ecological functions. Here, we first found that an AM fungus, Rhizophagus irregularis, increased lettuce shoot biomass by 25-100% when exposed to positively and negatively charged NPs vs control, although it did not increase that grown without NPs. The stress alleviation was attributed to the upregulation of gene expressions involving phytohormone signaling, cell wall metabolism, and oxidant scavenging. Using a root organ-fungus axenic growth system treated with fluorescence-labeled NPs, we subsequently revealed that the hyphae captured NPs and further delivered them to roots. NPs were observed at the hyphal cell walls, membranes, and spore walls. NPs mediated by the hyphae were localized at the root epidermis, cortex, and stele. Hyphal exudates aggregated positively charged NPs, thereby reducing their uptake due to NP aggregate formation (up to 5000 nm). This work demonstrates the critical roles of AM fungus in regulating NP behaviors and provides a potential strategy for NP risk mitigation in terrestrial ecosystems. Consequent NP-induced ecological impacts due to the affected AM fungi require further attention.
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Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Can Inhibit the Allocation of Microplastics from Crop Roots to Aboveground Edible Parts
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Scientists discovered that beneficial soil fungi called arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can reduce the amount of microplastics that travel from plant roots into the edible parts of lettuce. Plants grown with these fungi transported significantly fewer plastic particles to their leaves compared to plants without them. The findings suggest that natural fungal partnerships in soil could serve as a biological barrier helping protect food crops from microplastic contamination.
What Is the Role of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Mitigating the Effects of Microplastics?
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This review summarizes 29 studies on soil fungi called arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which form partnerships with plant roots. Most studies found AMF helped plants cope with microplastic pollution in soil by improving growth, nutrient uptake, and soil structure, though the authors note more research is needed on long-term effects.
Effects of nanoplastics on AM fungal development
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Researchers measured the effects of nanoplastic exposure on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal development, quantifying changes in key growth parameters to assess how nanoplastics may disrupt the soil symbiont communities that underpin plant nutrient uptake.
Synergistic damage and antagonistic protection of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and nanoplastics on oxidative stress in rice
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Nanoplastics are increasingly found in soil and crops, and this study on rice found that a common soil fungus (which normally helps plants absorb nutrients) actually made nanoplastic damage worse in the leaves, while helping protect the roots. This matters because it shows that microplastic contamination in farmland doesn't affect crops in a simple, predictable way, soil health interventions meant to help plants could unintentionally backfire in some plant parts, which is important as scientists work out how to keep our food supply safe from plastic pollution.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi change toxic effects of different types of microplastics on Lactuca sativa L. by influencing plant metabolic processes
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Researchers examined how beneficial soil fungi called arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi influence the toxic effects of different microplastics on lettuce. The study found that these fungi reduced the uptake and toxicity of PET microplastics but actually promoted the absorption of polypropylene and polystyrene, indicating that the interaction between soil microorganisms and microplastics depends strongly on polymer type.
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