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Synergistic integration of melatonin, copper nanoparticles, and Bacillus velezensis mitigates anthracnose and microplastic stress in chili: A novel eco-friendly strategy for sustainable crop protection
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Researchers combined melatonin, copper nanoparticles, and a beneficial bacterium (Bacillus velezensis) to simultaneously protect chili pepper plants from both fungal disease and microplastic stress, finding the triple treatment restored photosynthesis, hormone balance, and antioxidant defenses better than any single agent alone.
Anthracnose disease, caused by Colletotrichum capsici, severely reduces chili pepper growth and yield worldwide. Although melatonin (MT), copper nanoparticles (CuNPs), and Bacillus velezensis exhibit individual antifungal activity, their combined efficacy under environmental stress has not been explored. Here, we report for the first time the synergistic application of MT (100 µM), CuNPs (75 mg/L), and B. velezensis (10 CFU/mL) (MCB) to suppress anthracnose under microplastic (MPs) stress, addressing both biotic and abiotic stress simultaneously. The MCB treatment significantly inhibited C. capsici by increasing fungal membrane permeability and reducing disease incidence. MPs and pathogen stress impaired plant morpho-physiological traits, while MT, CuNPs, and B. velezensis restored plant vigor. The MCB combination yielded the strongest improvements in photosynthetic capacity, chlorophyll content, hormonal balance, defense gene expression, antioxidant activity, and lignin accumulation, while reducing malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species. Secondary metabolites and mineral contents, suppressed under stress, were also enhanced. This study presents a novel, integrative strategy combining biomolecule signaling, microbial biocontrol, and nanotechnology to mitigate fungal infection and MP stress simultaneously, offering a framework for resilient and sustainable crop protection in environmentally challenging agricultural systems.
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Reclaiming multi-contaminated soil: melatonin alleviates cadmium and microplastic toxicity to restore rice growth and yield
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Researchers investigated whether melatonin could mitigate the combined toxicity of cadmium and microplastics in agricultural soils to restore rice growth and yield. The study found that melatonin treatment modulated plant physiological function, reduced cadmium uptake, and improved soil properties, offering a promising approach to help crops withstand multi-contaminant stress from both heavy metals and microplastics.
Exogenous Melatonin Application Alleviates Microplastics and Cadmium‐Induced Phytotoxicity in Maize ( Zea mays L.) Plants: Insights From Physiological and Metabolomic Analyses
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Researchers investigated whether exogenous melatonin could alleviate the combined phytotoxicity of microplastics and cadmium in maize plants. The study found that melatonin application reduced oxidative damage and improved plant growth under co-contamination stress, suggesting that melatonin may serve as a biostimulant to help crops cope with the increasingly common co-occurrence of microplastics and heavy metals in agricultural soils.
Co-application of biochar and melatonin enhances rice resilience to combined lead and microplastics stress via modulating antioxidant defense, hormonal regulation, gene expression, and soil quality
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Researchers found that co-applying biochar and melatonin to soil contaminated with lead and microplastics restored rice biomass and grain yield by boosting antioxidant enzyme activity, upregulating protective genes, suppressing lead-uptake genes, and improving soil nutrient availability, suggesting this dual amendment as a viable strategy for multi-pollutant agricultural soils.
Co-application of biochar and melatonin enhances rice resilience to combined lead and microplastics stress via modulating antioxidant defense, hormonal regulation, gene expression, and soil quality
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Lead pollution and microplastics in soil team up to stunt rice growth and reduce harvests — a real concern since rice is a staple food for billions. This study found that adding charcoal-like "biochar" plus melatonin (a natural compound) to contaminated soil helped rice plants defend themselves, absorb less lead, and produce nearly as much grain as healthy plants, suggesting a practical way to grow safer food in polluted farmland.
Melatonin Buffers Microplastic-induced Oxidative Stress in Rice by Restoring Redox Balance, Antioxidants Reprogramming and Phytohormone Homeostasis
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Tiny plastic particles in soil and water are damaging rice plants, stunting their growth and reducing photosynthesis—which matters because rice is a staple food for billions of people worldwide. Researchers found that treating rice with melatonin (a natural hormone found in plants and animals) helped protect the plants by boosting their internal antioxidant defenses, offering a promising, low-cost way to keep crops healthy even as microplastic pollution spreads through farmland. This is early-stage plant research, not a human treatment, but it points to practical strategies for safeguarding food supplies as plastic contamination becomes more widespread
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