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Adaptation of the metolachlor-degrading fungus Trichoderma harzianum to the simultaneous presence of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics
Summary
When LDPE microplastics and the herbicide metolachlor were both present in soil, the soil fungus Trichoderma harzianum showed altered membrane lipid composition but continued to break down the herbicide at normal rates. This suggests that while microplastics can stress soil microorganisms, they may not always impair the soil's ability to degrade agricultural chemicals — an important finding for understanding how plastic pollution affects farmland ecosystem function.
Although it is known that microplastics (MPs) in soils cause a threat to this complex environment, the actual effects of MPs on soil microorganisms and their catabolic activities, particularly with the biodegradation of herbicides, remain unclear. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a simultaneous presence of metolachlor and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics on growth inhibition and adaptive responses of Trichoderma harzianum in soil microcosms. Using ergosterol content as an indicator of fungal biomass, it was observed that MPs alone had a marginal inhibitory effect on the growth of the fungus, whereas MET exhibited a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on T. harzianum. However, the presence of MPs did not influence the fungal transforming activity toward the herbicide. Conversely, analysis of lipid profiles in the presence of MPs and herbicides revealed a reduction in the overall fluidity of phospholipid fatty acids, primarily attributed to an increase in lysophospholipids. The activities of six extracellular enzymes in the soil, measured using methylumbelliferone-linked substrates, were significantly enhanced in the presence of MET. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of the alterations in fungal activity in soil resulting from the influence of MPs and MET.
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