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Rhizosphere nutrient dynamics and physiological responses of Oryza sativa L. under polyethylene terephthalate microplastic stress
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Researchers exposed rice (Oryza sativa) to PET microplastics and found that the particles were absorbed by roots and translocated to aerial tissues, significantly inhibiting chlorophyll production, inducing oxidative stress (with malondialdehyde increasing by 175% at higher doses), and disrupting nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus cycling genes in the rhizosphere.
Polyethylene terephthalate microplastics (PET-MPs), as emerging environmental contaminants, pose growing threats to agricultural ecosystems. This study investigated the impacts of PET-MPs on key physiological traits of Oryza sativa L. and the abundance of functional genes involved in carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycling within rhizosphere soils. Results demonstrated that PET-MPs were absorbed by rice roots and translocated to aerial tissues, significantly inhibiting chlorophyll biosynthesis (p < 0.05). Exposure to PET-MPs induced oxidative stress, with the 2.5 g kg treatment elevating root malondialdehyde levels by 175.3 %, and reducing plant height and biomass by 15.8 % and 44.6 %, respectively. Metagenomic analysis revealed a marked increase in the denitrification gene narI, while genes associated with C fixation (korB, korA), methanogenesis (mch), organic N metabolism (glnA), and P transport (ugpC) were significantly suppressed, indicating disruptions to soil nutrient cycling. Actinomycetota and Pseudomonadota were identified as predominant microbial hosts of these functional genes. Pearson correlation analysis showed significant positive associations (p < 0.05) between plant growth parameters and the abundance of korA, korB, IDH1, mch, glnA, and ugpC. These findings advance our understanding of the ecological risks posed by PET-MPs in terrestrial environments and underscore their potential to compromise soil fertility and sustainable rice production.
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Life-long impacts of nanoplastics to rice plant (Oryza sativa L.): Decreased grain yield with perturbed metallome and soil microbiome
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Researchers studied how nano-sized PET plastic particles affect rice plants throughout their entire life cycle at concentrations found in real-world environments. They found that nanoplastic exposure reduced grain quality and yield, disrupted mineral nutrient balance, and significantly altered the soil microbial community. The study highlights a potential threat to global food security, since rice is a staple food for billions of people.
Impact of microplastic contamination on soil-plant nutrient dynamics in agricultural ecosystems
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This pot experiment study in Indonesian peri-urban rice paddies tested four microplastic polymer types at four concentrations across two growing seasons, finding that concentrations above 1.0% w/w caused disproportionate reductions in shoot biomass (up to 42%), root length (up to 46%), and phosphorus uptake (up to 47.7%). PET caused the greatest reduction in plant growth, and the study establishes dose-response benchmarks for microplastic impacts on tropical rice nutrition.
Fate of nano/microplastics and associated toxic pollutants in paddy ecosystems: Current knowledge and future perspectives
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Researchers reviewed how micro- and nanoplastics enter rice paddies through irrigation, mulch films, and atmospheric deposition, then harm soil health and rice plant growth by disrupting nutrient cycles and increasing oxidative stress. Their findings are especially significant because rice feeds more than half the world's population, yet research on plastic contamination in paddy systems remains very limited.
The effect of microplastic pollution on rice growth, paddy soil properties, and greenhouse gas emissions: A global meta-analysis
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This global meta-analysis of 40 studies found that microplastics reduce rice biomass by inducing oxidative stress and inhibiting photosynthesis, while depleting soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon. Microplastics also stimulate nitrous oxide emissions from paddy soils, posing a dual threat to food security and climate through impaired rice production and increased greenhouse gas output.
Response of rice (Oryza sativa L.) roots to nanoplastic treatment at seedling stage
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Researchers exposed rice seedlings to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the particles were taken up by the roots, aided by water-transporting proteins in the plant. The nanoplastics triggered oxidative stress, reduced root length, and disrupted carbon metabolism and hormone production in the seedlings. The study raises concerns that nanoplastic contamination in agricultural soils could affect crop growth and potentially enter the human food supply through rice consumption.
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