Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Maize/Soybean Intercropping with Straw Return Increases Crop Yield by Influencing the Biological Characteristics of Soil

This study tested how combining straw return with maize-soybean intercropping affects soil health and crop yields in northeast China. The combined technique boosted soil microbial diversity, enzyme activity, and crop productivity compared to single-crop farming. While not directly about microplastics, the research highlights sustainable farming practices that improve soil biology, which is relevant because healthier soil ecosystems may be more resilient to microplastic contamination.

2024 Microorganisms 11 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Resource Spatial Mismatch on the Configuration Analysis of Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity

This study analyzed how the spatial distribution of agricultural resources affects green farming productivity in China from 2005 to 2021. While not directly about microplastics, it found that pollutant emissions from fertilizers and petroleum products significantly hinder sustainable agriculture. The findings are indirectly relevant because agricultural plastic waste, including mulch films, is a major source of microplastic contamination in farmland soil.

2024 Agriculture 17 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Impact of Varying doses of Biochar and INM Practices on Agro Physiological Performance, Yield and Economics of Maize (Zea mays L.)

A two-year field experiment found that combining 100% recommended fertilizer dose with 5 t/ha biochar and biofertilizer produced the highest maize yields and best economic returns on reclaimed sodic soils. While not directly about microplastics, the study demonstrates how biochar soil amendments can improve crop productivity, and biochar has separately been studied as a potential sorbent for microplastics in agricultural soils.

2023 International Journal of Plant & Soil Science
Article Tier 2

Effects of different mulch materials on the photosynthetic characteristics, yield, and soil water use efficiency of wheat in Loess tableland

Not relevant to microplastics — this agricultural study compares different mulching materials (including plastic film) on wheat yield and water use efficiency in the Loess Plateau of China, with no focus on microplastic pollution from plastic mulch.

2023 Scientific Reports 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Employing a systems approach to unravelling the complexities of the agricultural plastics value chain

Researchers used a systems analysis approach to map the full lifecycle of plastics used in agriculture — from production to disposal — and found that while these materials boost crop yields, they create serious sustainability problems including microplastic accumulation in soil and chemical leaching. The study identifies critical gaps in data, policy, and infrastructure needed to manage agricultural plastic waste and transition toward more sustainable alternatives.

2024 Journal of Cleaner Production 5 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of microplastics on crop variation depend on polymer types and their interactions with soil nutrient availability and weed competition

Researchers investigated how different types of microplastics interact with soil nutrient availability and weed competition to affect crop growth. The study found that the effects of microplastics on plant performance depend on the polymer type and are modulated by fertilization levels and competition from weeds, suggesting that real-world agricultural impacts of microplastic pollution may be more complex than laboratory studies indicate.

2024 Plant Biology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Agriculture- a Review

This review examines the growing presence of microplastics in agricultural environments, covering their sources from plastic mulch films and irrigation water, their effects on soil health and crop quality, and the implications for food safety and sustainable agriculture.

2025 International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research
Article Tier 2

Integrating microplastic research in sustainable agriculture: Challenges and future directions for food production

Researchers reviewed how microplastics interact with environmental stressors like heat, drought, and salinity to threaten crop health and food safety, finding that microplastics can increase toxic metal uptake in plants and alter growth — with risks likely to worsen as climate change intensifies.

2025 Current Plant Biology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhancing Soil Health and Plant Growth through Microbial Fertilizers: Mechanisms, Benefits, and Sustainable Agricultural Practices

This study examines how microbial fertilizers improve soil health by boosting beneficial microorganism populations that help plants absorb nutrients and resist disease. While not directly about microplastics, healthy soil microbial communities are important for breaking down environmental contaminants including plastics. The research supports sustainable farming practices that could help soils better cope with microplastic contamination.

2024 Agronomy 201 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative analysis of the effects of microplastics and nitrogen on maize and wheat: Growth, redox homeostasis, photosynthesis, and AsA-GSH cycle

Researchers compared how microplastics and nitrogen fertilizer, alone and together, affect the growth of maize and wheat. They found that microplastics inhibited growth in both crops but had more severe effects on maize, while nitrogen application helped alleviate some of the damage. The study suggests that adding nitrogen fertilizer may partially offset the harmful effects of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring Sustainable Agriculture with Nitrogen-Fixing Cyanobacteria and Nanotechnology

This review explores how nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria combined with nanotechnology could improve sustainable farming by enhancing nutrient delivery and crop disease resistance. While not directly about microplastics, the research is relevant because developing sustainable agricultural alternatives could reduce reliance on plastic mulch films, a major source of microplastic contamination in farmland.

2024 Molecules 51 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Plastic mulch productivity-sustainability tradeoffs and pathways toward an eco-friendly framework: insights from a global meta-analysis

This meta-analysis pools data from global studies on plastic mulch used in farming, finding that it boosts crop yields by nearly 29% but leaves persistent plastic residue in soil. The plastic fragments that remain in farmland soil eventually break down into microplastics, which can contaminate crops and enter the food supply. The study calls for biodegradable alternatives to balance food production needs with the growing problem of agricultural microplastic pollution.

2026 Nature Communications
Article Tier 2

Energy budget and carbon footprint in a wheat and maize system under ridge furrow strategy in dry semi humid areas

This agricultural study compared the energy use and carbon footprint of wheat-maize farming systems using different irrigation and planting strategies in semi-arid China. The research has no direct relevance to microplastic research but informs sustainable farming practices that reduce overall environmental impact.

2021 Scientific Reports 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in farmyard manures: implications for sustainable agriculture

Researchers investigated microplastic abundance and characteristics in non-commercial farmyard manures - a largely understudied pathway for microplastic entry into agricultural soils. The study assessed how manure application may serve as a source of microplastic contamination in farmland, contributing to understanding of plastic pollution cycles in terrestrial agricultural ecosystems.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastics reduce microbe-driven multifunctionality in maize-soybean intercropping ecosystem

This greenhouse study examined how polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene microplastics affect a maize-soybean intercropping system at concentrations up to 5% by weight. High PP concentrations reduced maize biomass by nearly 30%, while PS surprisingly increased it; microplastic presence generally disrupted soil microbial diversity and reduced overall ecosystem multifunctionality.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Plastic Use in Agriculture: Balancing Benefits, Environmental Impacts, and Sustainable Solutions

This review examines the benefits and environmental risks of plasticulture, covering how plastic mulches, greenhouse covers, and irrigation systems boost yields while generating microplastic soil contamination, and proposing sustainable alternatives and policy frameworks.

2024 International Journal of Environment and Climate Change 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic mulching in agriculture. Trading short-term agronomic benefits for long-term soil degradation?

This study examined plastic mulch use in agriculture, arguing that short-term crop benefits come with long-term costs as mulch fragments accumulate in soil as microplastics and disrupt soil structure, biology, and water dynamics.

2016 The Science of The Total Environment 1452 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Effects of Land Preparation Method and Organic Soil Amendment on Soil Properties, Growth and Yield of Maize (Zea mays)

This field experiment in Kenya found that conservation agriculture with black soldier fly manure and biochar improved soil moisture retention and maize yields. The study is not related to microplastic research.

2024 Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research
Article Tier 2

Towards Sustainable Management of Mineral Fertilizers in China: An Integrative Analysis and Review

This review examines strategies for sustainable management of mineral fertilizers in China, synthesizing research on improving nutrient use efficiency and reducing environmental impacts from fertilizer overuse. It is an agricultural science study unrelated to microplastics.

2020 Sustainability 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Plastic Residues on Soil Properties and Crop Productivity: A Comprehensive Research Study

This agricultural field study assessed how plastic residues at varying contamination levels affect soil physical, chemical, and biological properties and crop productivity, finding that higher microplastic concentrations disrupted soil structure, reduced microbial activity, and lowered plant growth.

2025 Futuristic Biotechnology
Article Tier 2

Comparative Study on the Use of Traditional, Conventional and Advanced Methodologies for Sustainable Agriculture – a Review

Not relevant to microplastics — this is a review comparing traditional, conventional, and nano-technology-based fertilisation methods in agriculture.

2023 International Association of Biologicals and Computational Digest 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Nitrogen Dynamics: Effects of Maize Straw Incorporation Under Contrasting Nitrogen Fertilization Levels

Not relevant to microplastics — this study examines how maize straw incorporation into soils with different nitrogen fertilization histories affects greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen cycling in agricultural fields.

2024 Agronomy 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Occurrence Characteristics of Microplastics in Typical Maize Farmland Soils With Long-Term Plastic Film Mulching in Northern China

A survey of 225 soil samples from maize farmland with long-term plastic film mulching in northern China found widespread microplastic contamination, with abundance, distribution, and polymer composition reflecting the history of film use and agricultural management practices.

2021 Frontiers in Marine Science 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Diversity and interactions of rhizobacteria determine multinutrient traits in tomato host plants under nitrogen and water disturbances

Researchers investigated how root-associated bacteria help tomato plants maintain nutrient uptake under nitrogen and water stress conditions. They found that microbial diversity and species interactions were key factors in supporting the plant's ability to acquire multiple nutrients simultaneously. While not directly about microplastics, the study advances understanding of soil microbiome dynamics that are relevant to agricultural systems increasingly affected by plastic contamination.

2024 Horticulture Research 5 citations