Traditional and biodegradable plastics improve pea (Pisum sativum) growth by promoting nutrient turnover in soil

Microplastic accumulation caused by traditional plastic mulching can disturb plant nutrient-mining strategies. Biodegradable plastics may reduce these risks. However, the different effects of traditional and biodegradable microplastics on agroecosystems and optimal microplastic type for crop-soil sy...

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Main Authors: Jialing WU, Yuhuai LIU, Li WANG, Mouliang XIAO, Liang WEI, Jina DING, Jianping CHEN, Zhenke ZHU, Tida GE
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Higher Education Press 2026-03-01
Series:Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering
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Online Access:https://journal.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/PDF/10.15302/J-FASE-2025626
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author Jialing WU
Yuhuai LIU
Li WANG
Mouliang XIAO
Liang WEI
Jina DING
Jianping CHEN
Zhenke ZHU
Tida GE
author_facet Jialing WU
Yuhuai LIU
Li WANG
Mouliang XIAO
Liang WEI
Jina DING
Jianping CHEN
Zhenke ZHU
Tida GE
author_sort Jialing WU
collection DOAJ
description Microplastic accumulation caused by traditional plastic mulching can disturb plant nutrient-mining strategies. Biodegradable plastics may reduce these risks. However, the different effects of traditional and biodegradable microplastics on agroecosystems and optimal microplastic type for crop-soil systems remain largely unknown. A pot experiment was performed to identify the mechanisms underlying the effects of traditional [polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE)] and biodegradable [polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyadipate/butylene terephthalate (PBAT)] microplastics at 0%, 0.1% and 1% (w/w) in a pea-soil ecosystem. Traditional microplastics caused greater carbon allocation to shoots, while PBAT did not significantly alter dissolved organic-carbon content. NH4+-N increased with 1% (w/w) PP whereas NO3–-N decreased owing to enhanced N-acetylglucosaminidase activity with 0.1% and 1% PP and PE, and 1% PBAT during pea growth. Biodegradable microplastics enhanced microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, whereas traditional microplastics gave inconsistent results. Microplastics increased the complexity of bacterial and fungal networks and impacted ecosystem functions because they may serve as labile carbon resources for soil microorganisms, stimulating organic matter decomposition. However, once labile carbon in native soils is depleted, inadequate fresh labile carbon from root exudates fails to alleviate microbial carbon limitations, resulting in peas competing with microorganisms for scarce nitrogen resources to promote its growth.
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spelling doaj-art-48ef5ed93b254c7e832409ba7fccea822025-08-20T03:41:43ZengHigher Education PressFrontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering2095-75052026-03-011312562610.15302/J-FASE-2025626Traditional and biodegradable plastics improve pea (Pisum sativum) growth by promoting nutrient turnover in soilJialing WU0Yuhuai LIU1Li WANG2Mouliang XIAO3Liang WEI4Jina DING5Jianping CHEN6Zhenke ZHU7Tida GE81. College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China|4. State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for the Regulation of Soil Biological Functions and One Health of Zhejiang Province, Institute of One Health Science (IOHS), Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China1. College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China|2. Ecological Postdoctoral Research Station, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China|3. College of Smart Agriculture, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China|4. State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for the Regulation of Soil Biological Functions and One Health of Zhejiang Province, Institute of One Health Science (IOHS), Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China4. State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for the Regulation of Soil Biological Functions and One Health of Zhejiang Province, Institute of One Health Science (IOHS), Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China5. State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Environment and Resources, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China4. State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for the Regulation of Soil Biological Functions and One Health of Zhejiang Province, Institute of One Health Science (IOHS), Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China4. State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for the Regulation of Soil Biological Functions and One Health of Zhejiang Province, Institute of One Health Science (IOHS), Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China4. State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for the Regulation of Soil Biological Functions and One Health of Zhejiang Province, Institute of One Health Science (IOHS), Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China4. State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for the Regulation of Soil Biological Functions and One Health of Zhejiang Province, Institute of One Health Science (IOHS), Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China1. College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China|3. College of Smart Agriculture, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China|4. State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for the Regulation of Soil Biological Functions and One Health of Zhejiang Province, Institute of One Health Science (IOHS), Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, ChinaMicroplastic accumulation caused by traditional plastic mulching can disturb plant nutrient-mining strategies. Biodegradable plastics may reduce these risks. However, the different effects of traditional and biodegradable microplastics on agroecosystems and optimal microplastic type for crop-soil systems remain largely unknown. A pot experiment was performed to identify the mechanisms underlying the effects of traditional [polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE)] and biodegradable [polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyadipate/butylene terephthalate (PBAT)] microplastics at 0%, 0.1% and 1% (w/w) in a pea-soil ecosystem. Traditional microplastics caused greater carbon allocation to shoots, while PBAT did not significantly alter dissolved organic-carbon content. NH4+-N increased with 1% (w/w) PP whereas NO3–-N decreased owing to enhanced N-acetylglucosaminidase activity with 0.1% and 1% PP and PE, and 1% PBAT during pea growth. Biodegradable microplastics enhanced microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, whereas traditional microplastics gave inconsistent results. Microplastics increased the complexity of bacterial and fungal networks and impacted ecosystem functions because they may serve as labile carbon resources for soil microorganisms, stimulating organic matter decomposition. However, once labile carbon in native soils is depleted, inadequate fresh labile carbon from root exudates fails to alleviate microbial carbon limitations, resulting in peas competing with microorganisms for scarce nitrogen resources to promote its growth.https://journal.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/PDF/10.15302/J-FASE-2025626Biodegradable microplasticsmicrobial communitynutrient-acquisition strategiesstandard microplastics
spellingShingle Jialing WU
Yuhuai LIU
Li WANG
Mouliang XIAO
Liang WEI
Jina DING
Jianping CHEN
Zhenke ZHU
Tida GE
Traditional and biodegradable plastics improve pea (Pisum sativum) growth by promoting nutrient turnover in soil
Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering
Biodegradable microplastics
microbial community
nutrient-acquisition strategies
standard microplastics
title Traditional and biodegradable plastics improve pea (Pisum sativum) growth by promoting nutrient turnover in soil
title_full Traditional and biodegradable plastics improve pea (Pisum sativum) growth by promoting nutrient turnover in soil
title_fullStr Traditional and biodegradable plastics improve pea (Pisum sativum) growth by promoting nutrient turnover in soil
title_full_unstemmed Traditional and biodegradable plastics improve pea (Pisum sativum) growth by promoting nutrient turnover in soil
title_short Traditional and biodegradable plastics improve pea (Pisum sativum) growth by promoting nutrient turnover in soil
title_sort traditional and biodegradable plastics improve pea pisum sativum growth by promoting nutrient turnover in soil
topic Biodegradable microplastics
microbial community
nutrient-acquisition strategies
standard microplastics
url https://journal.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/PDF/10.15302/J-FASE-2025626
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