Integrating microplastic research in sustainable agriculture: Challenges and future directions for food production
In agroecosystems, plants are frequently subjected to a wide range of environmental stressors that have a substantial influence on plant physiology, crop performance, and food security. Abiotic stress responses to plant crop physiology and performance have been widely studied, but the co-occurrence...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Current Plant Biology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221466282500026X |
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| author | Marcelo Illanes María-Trinidad Toro Mauricio Schoebitz Nelson Zapata Diego A. Moreno María Dolores López-Belchí |
| author_facet | Marcelo Illanes María-Trinidad Toro Mauricio Schoebitz Nelson Zapata Diego A. Moreno María Dolores López-Belchí |
| author_sort | Marcelo Illanes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In agroecosystems, plants are frequently subjected to a wide range of environmental stressors that have a substantial influence on plant physiology, crop performance, and food security. Abiotic stress responses to plant crop physiology and performance have been widely studied, but the co-occurrence of stressors, such as emerging contaminants (e.g., pharmaceuticals, plastic particles, or pesticides), combined with environmental conditions, remains understudied. Microplastics (MPs) have been identified as modifiers of plant physiology; therefore, these particles present a risk to the quality and safety of plant food production systems. One relevant question is how these emerging pollutants interact with the increasingly extreme environmental conditions of today. For example, evidence indicates that the interaction of MPs particles with elevated levels of ambient CO2 can modify stomatal conductance. In addition, their interaction with high temperatures may induce increased oxidative stress, whereas drought conditions can adversely affect vegetative growth. Salinity has been shown to alter root development, and MP particles can enhance the adsorption of trace metals onto plant tissues, thereby compromising food safety and increasing health risks. Currently, the application of omics technologies, including genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics, offers novel insights into molecular mechanisms that enable the identification of specific biomarkers associated with MP exposure. Furthermore, machine learning algorithms can be employed to analyze complex datasets, enhancing our ability to predict the impacts of MPs on plant health and crop performance under different environmental conditions. These results are significant for agricultural practices and policy formulation. As the prevalence of MPs in the environment continues to escalate, policymakers should address the potential risks these contaminants constitute to food safety and agricultural sustainability. This review compiles and synthesizes the most recent evidence regarding the impact of various stressors on crop quality and performance, with a particular emphasis on the interactions involving different plastic particles present in the environment and evaluates their potential risks to food safety and environmental resilience. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ddbec10182334e56b3fe9252197bb2c0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2214-6628 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Plant Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-ddbec10182334e56b3fe9252197bb2c02025-02-08T05:00:30ZengElsevierCurrent Plant Biology2214-66282025-06-0142100458Integrating microplastic research in sustainable agriculture: Challenges and future directions for food productionMarcelo Illanes0María-Trinidad Toro1Mauricio Schoebitz2Nelson Zapata3Diego A. Moreno4María Dolores López-Belchí5Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Agronomy, Universidad de Concepción, Avenida Vicente Méndez, 595, Chillán, ChileSchool of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universidad Mayor, Temuco, ChileDepartment of Soils and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agronomy, Universidad de Concepción, Víctor Lamas 1290, Concepción, ChileDepartment of Plant Production, Faculty of Agronomy, Universidad de Concepción, Avenida Vicente Méndez, 595, Chillán, ChileLaboratorio de Fitoquímica y Alimentos Saludables (LabFAS), CEBAS, CSIC, Campus Universitario de Espinardo-25, Murcia 30100, SpainDepartment of Plant Production, Faculty of Agronomy, Universidad de Concepción, Avenida Vicente Méndez, 595, Chillán, Chile; Corresponding author.In agroecosystems, plants are frequently subjected to a wide range of environmental stressors that have a substantial influence on plant physiology, crop performance, and food security. Abiotic stress responses to plant crop physiology and performance have been widely studied, but the co-occurrence of stressors, such as emerging contaminants (e.g., pharmaceuticals, plastic particles, or pesticides), combined with environmental conditions, remains understudied. Microplastics (MPs) have been identified as modifiers of plant physiology; therefore, these particles present a risk to the quality and safety of plant food production systems. One relevant question is how these emerging pollutants interact with the increasingly extreme environmental conditions of today. For example, evidence indicates that the interaction of MPs particles with elevated levels of ambient CO2 can modify stomatal conductance. In addition, their interaction with high temperatures may induce increased oxidative stress, whereas drought conditions can adversely affect vegetative growth. Salinity has been shown to alter root development, and MP particles can enhance the adsorption of trace metals onto plant tissues, thereby compromising food safety and increasing health risks. Currently, the application of omics technologies, including genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics, offers novel insights into molecular mechanisms that enable the identification of specific biomarkers associated with MP exposure. Furthermore, machine learning algorithms can be employed to analyze complex datasets, enhancing our ability to predict the impacts of MPs on plant health and crop performance under different environmental conditions. These results are significant for agricultural practices and policy formulation. As the prevalence of MPs in the environment continues to escalate, policymakers should address the potential risks these contaminants constitute to food safety and agricultural sustainability. This review compiles and synthesizes the most recent evidence regarding the impact of various stressors on crop quality and performance, with a particular emphasis on the interactions involving different plastic particles present in the environment and evaluates their potential risks to food safety and environmental resilience.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221466282500026XAbiotic stressCombined toxicityEnvironmental stressExposomeFood securityPlastics |
| spellingShingle | Marcelo Illanes María-Trinidad Toro Mauricio Schoebitz Nelson Zapata Diego A. Moreno María Dolores López-Belchí Integrating microplastic research in sustainable agriculture: Challenges and future directions for food production Current Plant Biology Abiotic stress Combined toxicity Environmental stress Exposome Food security Plastics |
| title | Integrating microplastic research in sustainable agriculture: Challenges and future directions for food production |
| title_full | Integrating microplastic research in sustainable agriculture: Challenges and future directions for food production |
| title_fullStr | Integrating microplastic research in sustainable agriculture: Challenges and future directions for food production |
| title_full_unstemmed | Integrating microplastic research in sustainable agriculture: Challenges and future directions for food production |
| title_short | Integrating microplastic research in sustainable agriculture: Challenges and future directions for food production |
| title_sort | integrating microplastic research in sustainable agriculture challenges and future directions for food production |
| topic | Abiotic stress Combined toxicity Environmental stress Exposome Food security Plastics |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221466282500026X |
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