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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Effects of Microplastics on the Growth and Physiological Characteristics of Mulberry
ClearUptake and physiological impacts of nanoplastics in trees with divergent water use strategies
Researchers studied how nanoplastics are taken up by tree roots and whether this uptake affects tree health and function. They found that trees did absorb nanoplastics through their root systems, and the particles caused oxidative stress and reduced photosynthetic capacity. The study suggests that plastic pollution in soil could impair the functioning of trees, which play a critical role in carbon sequestration and ecosystem health.
Unveiling the detrimental effects of polylactic acid microplastics on rice seedlings and soil health
Researchers found that even biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics significantly harmed rice plants at high concentrations, reducing root and shoot weight by roughly half and disrupting photosynthesis, while also altering soil enzyme activity and bacterial communities. These findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are harmless to agriculture and raise questions about their impact on food crops that humans depend on.
Microplastic-induced alterations in growth and microecology of mulberry seedlings: Implications for sustainable forest–soil systems
This study found that polyethylene and polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics have very different effects on mulberry tree growth and soil microbes. Polyethylene actually stimulated tree growth and boosted soil nitrogen-cycling bacteria, while PLA reduced plant biomass and disrupted soil fungal communities important for nutrient uptake. The contrasting results show that different types of microplastics can have opposite effects on plant-soil systems, complicating predictions about their environmental impact.
Microplastics in soil affect the growth and physiological characteristics of Chinese fir and Phoebe bournei seedlings
Pot experiments with tree seedlings showed that high concentrations of polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics in soil suppressed plant growth by reducing chlorophyll levels, weakening antioxidant defenses, and lowering key nutrients in leaves. Lower concentrations of polyethylene actually had some positive effects, suggesting the impacts depend on dose and plastic type. These findings are relevant to understanding how microplastic-contaminated soils could affect forestry and reforestation efforts.
Effect of polylactic acid microplastics on soil properties, soil microbials and plant growth
Researchers tested whether microplastics from biodegradable polylactic acid plastic, often proposed as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastic, affect soil health and plant growth. High concentrations of these biodegradable microplastics reduced soil pH, altered the ratio of carbon to nitrogen, decreased plant growth, and shifted soil microbial communities. The study suggests that even biodegradable plastics can negatively affect agricultural ecosystems when they break down into microplastic-sized particles.
The effects of diverse microplastics on adzuki bean (Vigna angularis) growth and physiologic properties
Researchers tested the effects of three types of microplastics at different concentrations on adzuki bean growth and found that all types caused some damage, with biodegradable polylactic acid having the strongest negative impact on plant biomass. Higher microplastic concentrations significantly reduced chlorophyll content and triggered antioxidant stress responses. The study suggests that even supposedly eco-friendly biodegradable plastics can harm crop plants when they accumulate in soil.
Effects of Microplastics on Growth Pattern of Pinus massoniana and Schima uperba
Researchers exposed two economically important tree species (Pinus massoniana and Schima superba) to microplastics and found species-specific differences in how woody plants respond to plastic contamination, with effects on growth, photosynthesis, and oxidative stress.
From the rhizosphere to plant fitness: Implications of microplastics soil pollution
Researchers exposed strawberry plants to low-density polyethylene microplastics in soil and found significant harm, including reduced chlorophyll levels, altered nutrient uptake, and increased stress responses. The microplastics also shifted the soil microbiome toward potentially harmful fungi and bacteria. These findings show that microplastics in agricultural soil can damage crop health and change the microbial community that plants depend on.
The multifaceted mechanisms of microplastic inhibition of tomato plant growth: oxidative toxicity, metabolic perturbation, and photosynthetic damage
Researchers exposed tomato seedlings to biodegradable and conventional microplastics and investigated photosynthetic performance, metabolic disruption, and oxidative stress responses. Both microplastic types inhibited tomato growth and caused oxidative damage, with impacts on the photosynthetic apparatus and metabolite profiles, challenging the assumption that biodegradable plastics are safer for agricultural systems.
Effects of different types of microplastics in soil on nitrogen absorption and metabolism of quinoa
Researchers grew quinoa in soils spiked with biodegradable (PLA, PBAT) and conventional (PE) microplastics at three concentrations, finding that all types reduced nitrogen-metabolizing enzyme activity and soil organic carbon decomposition, with biodegradable PBAT causing the greatest suppression of nitrogen absorption and moderate concentrations inducing the most severe oxidative stress.
Microplastics as emerging stressors in plants: biochemical and metabolic responses
This review examines how microplastics act as environmental stressors in plants, disrupting biochemical and metabolic processes including photosynthesis, antioxidant defenses, and nutrient uptake, with effects varying by polymer type, particle size, and concentration.
Studies on the impact of aged microplastics on agricultural soil enzyme activity, lettuce growth, and oxidative stress
This study examined how aged microplastics from three common plastics (polystyrene, polyethylene, and polylactic acid) affect soil health and lettuce growth. Researchers found that high concentrations of biodegradable PLA plastic actually reduced lettuce weight by over 58%, while all three plastic types triggered oxidative stress in the plants. The results show that even so-called eco-friendly biodegradable plastics can harm crops and soil when they accumulate at higher levels.
Microplastics Can Change Soil Properties and Affect Plant Performance
Researchers tested six different types of microplastics in soil and found that they altered key soil properties including water-holding capacity, bulk density, and microbial activity. These changes in soil structure had cascading effects on plant growth, with some microplastic types reducing above-ground biomass. The study demonstrates that microplastics can fundamentally change how soil functions, with consequences for plant health and ecosystem stability.
Biodegradable Microplastics from Agricultural Mulch Films: Implications for Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria and Plant’s Oxidative Stress
This study tested how microplastics from biodegradable agricultural mulch films affect beneficial soil bacteria and plant growth. The biodegradable microplastics inhibited most helpful bacteria and caused oxidative stress in plants, reducing their growth. However, some bacteria showed tolerance to the microplastics and helped protect plants from the damage, suggesting that biodegradable plastics are not harmless to soil ecosystems as often assumed.
Integrated physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolic analysis reveals the effects of nanoplastics exposure on tea plants
Researchers used physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolic analysis to assess the effects of nano/microplastics on tea plants, finding impaired photosynthesis, oxidative stress, and disrupted metabolic pathways at environmentally relevant concentrations. The study highlights risks to tea crop safety and quality from plastic pollution in agricultural soils.
From biodegradation to biohazard: Polylactic acid microplastics induced rice growth inhibition in agroecosystems
Researchers tested the effects of polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, a type marketed as biodegradable, on rice growth in soil. They found that PLA microplastics inhibited rice development by reducing nitrogen availability, disrupting root bacteria, and releasing potentially harmful breakdown products. The study suggests that biodegradable plastics may not be as environmentally safe as assumed, particularly in agricultural settings.
Effects of micro(nano)plastics on higher plants and the rhizosphere environment
This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics affect higher plants and the soil environment around their roots. Researchers found that these particles can be absorbed through roots and transported to other plant tissues, causing oxidative stress and disrupting photosynthesis, metabolism, and gene expression. The study highlights that plastic pollution in soil threatens not only plant health but also the broader rhizosphere ecosystem that supports agriculture.
[Effects of Polylactic Acid Microplastics （PLA-MPs） on Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Communities of Wheat Rhizosphere Soil].
Researchers investigated how polylactic acid microplastics affect wheat rhizosphere soil and found that they significantly altered soil chemistry, increasing phosphorus and organic matter while decreasing total nitrogen and pH. The microplastics also reduced the richness and diversity of soil microorganisms, with larger particles and higher concentrations causing the greatest disruption. The study suggests that even biodegradable plastics can meaningfully reshape soil microbial communities and nutrient cycling in agricultural settings.
Effects of microplastics and their combination with cadmium on Pinus massoniana are dependent on the type of microplastics
Researchers compared how conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics, alone and combined with cadmium, affect the growth of Masson pine trees. The study found that the effects on tree growth depend significantly on the type of microplastic, suggesting that biodegradable plastics may not necessarily be less harmful to plants than conventional plastics when co-contaminated with heavy metals.
Uptake, growth, and oxidative stress responses of Rhizophora mucronata (Poir. in Lam.) propagules exposed to high-density polyethylene microplastics
Researchers exposed mangrove propagules to environmentally relevant concentrations of high-density polyethylene microplastics for three months and found that the particles accumulated on root surfaces and translocated into the shoot system. The microplastics caused significant reductions in root length, plant height, and foliar area, along with increased oxidative stress indicators. The study suggests that microplastic pollution poses a real threat to mangrove growth and could ultimately affect the diversity and productivity of mangrove forests.
Field application of biodegradable microplastics has no significant effect on plant and soil health in the short term
Researchers conducted a field study to test whether biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics affect oat and soybean growth or soil health over one growing season. They found that neither fiber nor powder forms of the biodegradable microplastics had significant effects on soil enzyme activities, plant biomass, or crop yield. The study suggests that biodegradable microplastics may not pose a significant short-term threat to agricultural ecosystems and could serve as a viable alternative to conventional plastics.
Assessment of physiological stress on plants grown in soil contaminated with microplastics
Researchers tested how three types of microplastics (PET, HDPE, and polyester) affect the growth and health of spring onion and okra plants. They found that all microplastic types reduced chlorophyll levels, increased oxidative stress, and stunted plant growth, with HDPE and polyester causing the most damage. The study highlights the potential ecological risks microplastics pose to vegetable crops grown in contaminated soil.
Ecological impacts of polylactic acid and polylactic acid-polyethylene microplastics on freshwater ecosystems: Insights from a water–Vallisneria natans–sediment system
Researchers tested the effects of biodegradable PLA and PLA-polyethylene blend microplastics on a freshwater ecosystem containing aquatic plants and sediment. Both types of microplastics altered water chemistry, reduced plant growth, increased oxidative stress, and shifted the microbial communities in both water and sediment. The study demonstrates that even biodegradable plastic alternatives can disrupt freshwater ecosystems in meaningful ways.
Biodegradable microplastics induce profound changes in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) defense mechanisms and to some extent deteriorate growth traits
Researchers tested the effects of biodegradable plastic microplastics on lettuce growth and found that while the plants still grew, the microplastics caused significant stress at the cellular level. The plastic particles reduced chlorophyll content, triggered oxidative stress, and forced plants to activate their defense mechanisms, which affected their weight and nutrient content. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are harmless to crops and raises questions about food quality from microplastic-contaminated soil.