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Influence of thermo-oxidatively aged mulch debris on the seedling emergence of field pea (Pisum sativum var. arvense L.) seeds
Summary
Researchers used flame-spraying to generate thermo-oxidatively aged polyethylene microplastics and tested their effects on crop seedling emergence, finding that aged MP debris from mulch film degradation can inhibit germination and early plant growth in dryland agricultural soils.
The implementation of appropriate flame-spraying treatment on used polyethylene (PE) mulch film is a potential method for the rapid abatement of PE contamination in dryland fields. This study utilized self-made flame-spraying equipment to prepare thermo-oxidatively aged PE microplastics (aPE-MPs), with their structural properties characterized through analytical techniques. The effects of varying concentrations of aPE-MP suspensions (corresponding to residual film levels equivalent to 5-300 years of continuous mulching) on seed germination and seedling growth of field pea (Pisum sativum var. arvense L.) were also investigated. The surface of aPE-MPs exhibited wrinkles and cracks, forming abundant oxygen-containing functional groups and double bonds, while showing a decrease in pH, but with no significant alterations in crystalline morphology. Exposure to aPE-MP suspensions for 7 days did not inhibit seed germination rate or vigor index but evidently enhanced root elongation. Following 24 days of prolonged aPE-MP exposure, the root and shoot biomass, chlorophyll content, osmoregulatory substance, and antioxidant enzyme activities in seedlings were significantly higher than those of the control group within the medium-high suspension concentration range, with no apparent malondialdehyde accumulation except at the highest concentration. Elemental profiling revealed enhanced root acquisition of macro- and micro-nutrients (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn). Conclusively, the thermo-oxidative treatment markedly increased hydrophilicity and decreased pH of the used PE residues, and aPE-MP suspensions even promoted the seedling development of field pea. This method shows potential for application in the disposal of used mulch film in dryland farming, though its long-term ecological effects require further assessment.
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