We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Maize adaptation to low-dose nanoplastic–lead co-contamination: Foliar metabolic reprogramming and phyllospheric microbiome restructuring
ClearIntegrated physiological, metabolomic, and transcriptomic responses of maize (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) to nanoplastic-induced stress
Researchers exposed maize and soybean crops to polyethylene and polypropylene nanoplastics in soil and found that high concentrations suppressed plant growth and caused oxidative stress in both species. The nanoplastics accumulated in plant roots and disrupted normal gene activity and metabolism, with soybeans being more sensitive than maize. These findings raise concerns about food crop quality and safety as nanoplastic contamination of agricultural soil increases.
Impacts of Lead and Nanoplastic Co-Exposure on Decomposition, Microbial Diversity, and Community Assembly Mechanisms in Karst Riverine Miscanthus Litter
Researchers conducted a 90-day experiment exposing plant litter in simulated karst river conditions to lead, nanoplastics, and their combinations. Low-dose nanoplastics accelerated litter decomposition while high doses suppressed it, and co-exposure with lead produced complex, non-linear effects. The study found that bacterial communities remained resilient to contamination, while fungal communities were far more vulnerable, suggesting fungi are the weaker link in pollutant-stressed decomposition processes.
Multi‐Omics Insights Into Phenylpropanoid and Lipid Barrier Biosynthesis in Maize Roots Under Salt and Microplastic Stresses
Researchers used transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses to investigate how polystyrene microplastics and salt stress — individually and in combination — affect phenylpropanoid and lipid barrier biosynthesis in maize seedling roots, finding that combined stresses alter molecular defence pathways in ways distinct from either stressor alone.
Influence of soil microplastic contamination on maize (Zea mays) development and microbial dynamics
Researchers grew maize (corn) in soil contaminated with varying amounts of microplastics and found that higher microplastic levels disrupted soil bacteria and fungi, caused leaf damage like yellowing and tissue death, and led to elevated heavy metals in plant tissue above safe limits. The results point to serious risks microplastics pose to crop health, soil ecosystems, and food safety.
From the shoot to the rhizosphere: The short-term cascade impact of aerial microplastic
Researchers tested how foliar polyethylene microsphere exposure in tomato plants cascades from leaf physiological changes to altered root metabolite composition and root-associated microbiome structure, finding that aerial MP exposure reshapes plant-soil interactions through systemic signaling.
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.
Combined effects of heavy metals and microplastics on maize grown in acid and alkaline soils inoculated with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria
Researchers grew maize in soils contaminated with combinations of biodegradable (PLA) and conventional (LDPE) microplastics and heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni) in both acid and alkaline soils, with and without plant growth-promoting bacteria. The combined microplastic-heavy metal contamination reduced growth more than either stressor alone, while bacterial inoculants partially mitigated the damage in alkaline soils.
Combined Phytotoxicity of Microplastics andLead on the Growth and Physio-BiochemicalCharacteristics of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)
Researchers grew tobacco plants in soil contaminated with both polyethylene microplastics and lead, finding that the combination caused greater damage to photosynthesis and plant growth than either pollutant alone, while microplastics partially reduced how much lead roots absorbed. The study shows that microplastic and heavy metal co-contamination — increasingly common in agricultural soils — poses compounding risks to crop health.
The Effects of Microplastics and Heavy Metals Individually and in Combination on the Growth of Water Spinach (Ipomoea aquatic) and Rhizosphere Microorganisms
Researchers tested how combinations of microplastics and heavy metals (cadmium and lead) affect the growth of water spinach and the microbial communities in its root zone. They found that all three stressors individually inhibited plant growth, and combining microplastics with heavy metals intensified the toxic effects while reducing the availability of essential soil nutrients. The study suggests that microplastic-heavy metal interactions in agricultural soils may pose compounding risks to both crop health and soil ecosystem function.
[Effects of Combined Pollution of Microplastics and Lead on Maize Seed Germination and Growth].
Researchers grew maize seeds in water spiked with lead and three common microplastics (polyethylene, polypropylene, and PVC) to test their combined effects on germination and early growth. All three plastics individually inhibited germination to varying degrees, but when combined with lead the effects were generally antagonistic — meaning the mixture was less toxic than each pollutant alone. These findings are important for understanding real-world soil contamination, where microplastics and heavy metals often co-occur in agricultural environments.
Co-exposure of maize to polyethylene microplastics and ZnO nanoparticles: Impact on growth, fate, and interaction
Researchers studied the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and zinc oxide nanoparticles on maize growth in a pot experiment. The study found that co-exposure altered plant growth, the fate of nanoparticles in the soil-plant system, and the interaction between these two common agricultural contaminants, suggesting that microplastics can influence how other pollutants behave in crop production.
Transcriptomic and metabolomic responses of maize under conventional and biodegradable microplastic stress
Researchers studied how both conventional and biodegradable microplastics affect maize at the molecular level, finding that both types altered plant metabolism and triggered stress responses. The microplastics changed how the plants handled energy, photosynthesis, and hormone signaling, with effects varying by plastic type. This is concerning for food safety because microplastic-contaminated soil could change the nutritional quality or safety of crops that people eat.
Impact of Microplstic and Lead Toxicity on the Terrestrial Plants: a Critical Review
This review examines the toxic effects of microplastics and lead on terrestrial plants, synthesizing evidence that MPs modify soil physicochemical properties and enzymatic activity while lead disrupts root and shoot biomass, leaf development, and growth tolerance. Combined microplastic-lead exposure is found to be more damaging than either stressor alone, with implications for agricultural productivity in contaminated soils.
Microplastic-Mediated Heavy Metal Uptake in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.): Implications for Food Safety and Agricultural Sustainability
Researchers grew lettuce in contaminated soil mixed with different types of microplastics, including fibers, glitter, and fragments from bags and bottles. They found that microplastics altered how heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and copper moved through the soil and into the plants, sometimes increasing uptake of toxic metals in roots while decreasing others in leaves. The results raise concerns about food safety in agricultural areas where both microplastic and heavy metal contamination overlap.
Multiomics Provides Insights into the Impacts of Microplastics on Heavy Metal(Loid) Accumulation in Lettuce under Simulated Acid Precipitation
Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics in soil increased cadmium uptake in lettuce shoots by 51% under acid rain conditions, while decreasing arsenic accumulation by 48%. The microplastics altered soil bacteria and disrupted key metabolic pathways, suggesting that the combination of microplastic pollution and acid rain may change how toxic metals move from soil into our food crops.
Impact of microplastics on bioaccumulation of heavy metals in rape (Brassica napus L.)
Researchers found that microplastics influenced the bioaccumulation of copper and lead in rapeseed plants, with effects varying by microplastic concentration and heavy metal type, revealing how plastic pollution may alter contaminant uptake in crops.
Dual regulation of pakchoi–soil systems by zinc oxide nanoparticles under polyethylene microplastics stress: Dose-dependent effects, microbial cascades, and risk propagation
Researchers studied how zinc oxide nanoparticles at different doses regulate the pakchoi-soil-microbe system under polyethylene microplastic stress, finding dose-dependent effects on plant antioxidant responses, nutrient uptake, and soil bacterial communities that reflect complex, interacting contamination risks.
Harnessing beneficial microbes to counteract the negative impact of microplastics (raw and aged) on plant health and oxidative balance
Researchers tested whether combined microbial inoculation could mitigate the oxidative stress and growth inhibition caused by aged microplastics in maize. Microbial consortia effectively restored antioxidant defenses and growth by alleviating MP-induced disruptions to proline and MAPK stress pathways.
Synergistic modulation of Lead (II) bioavailability by polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and insights into assimilation kinetics in Canna indica
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in soil can make plants absorb up to 250% more lead, a toxic heavy metal that's harmful to humans. This happens because the plastic pieces act like a delivery system, carrying more lead into plants that we might eventually eat. This research suggests that areas with plastic pollution in the soil could pose greater health risks than previously thought, especially for crops grown in contaminated areas.
Buckwheat responds to co-exposure to PLA microplastics and Pb by regulating the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and jasmonates
Researchers studied how buckwheat plants respond to combined exposure to biodegradable PLA microplastics and lead contamination in soil. They found that the combination was more damaging than either pollutant alone, reducing plant biomass by up to 50 percent, but the plants activated defense mechanisms by strengthening cell walls and producing protective compounds called jasmonates. The study provides new insights into how plants cope with the emerging problem of microplastic and heavy metal co-contamination in agricultural soils.
Cascading effects from soil to maize functional traits explain maize response to microplastics disturbance in multi-nutrient soil environment
Researchers found that microplastics in agricultural soil can dry out the soil and disrupt nutrient availability for maize plants, but the crop partially compensates by growing longer, more efficient roots to forage for nutrients. This adaptive response — more pronounced in nutrient-rich soils — means microplastic impacts on crop yields depend heavily on soil conditions, complicating efforts to predict food security risks from plastic pollution.
Polyethylene microplastics alter soil microbial community assembly and ecosystem multifunctionality
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics at different concentrations affect soil microbial communities and overall ecosystem function in a maize growing system. They found that higher concentrations of microplastics shifted microbial community composition, reduced beneficial bacteria involved in nutrient cycling, and impaired multiple soil ecosystem functions simultaneously. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils can undermine the biological processes that support healthy crop growth.
An Impact Of Microplastic And Microplastic + Lead Induced Toxicity On Growth Parameters And Chlorophyll Content Of Tomato Plant: (Comparison Study)
Researchers grew tomato plants in soil spiked with polyethylene microplastics alone and combined with lead nitrate at multiple concentrations to compare their toxicity. Both treatments reduced shoot length, fresh and dry weight, and chlorophyll content in a dose-dependent manner, with the combined microplastic-plus-lead treatment causing more severe harm than either pollutant alone.
Assessing the interactive effects of microplastics and acid rain on cadmium toxicity in rice seedlings: Insights from physiological and transcriptomic analyses
Researchers studied how the combination of microplastics, acid rain, and cadmium affects rice seedling growth. They found that at high cadmium concentrations, the presence of microplastics and acid rain actually reduced cadmium's toxic effects by lowering how much of the metal accumulated in the plants. The study provides nuanced evidence that interactions between multiple environmental pollutants can sometimes produce unexpected outcomes, which matters for understanding food safety in contaminated agricultural areas.