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Journal of Integrative Agriculture
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Microplastics reduce the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) net photosynthetic rate through rhizospheric effects

Yuhuai Liu1, 2, 3, 4, Heng Wang2, Li Wang4, Jina Ding4, Hui Zhai2, Qiujing Ma2, 3, Can Hu5, Tida Ge1, 4#

1 College of Smart Agriculture, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China

2 College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China 

3 Ecological Postdoctoral Research Station, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China

4 International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for the Regulation of Soil Biological Functions and One Health of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China

5 College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China

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摘要  

覆膜导致的微塑料积累影响农田作物-土壤系统养分循环。根际(RS)和非根际土(BS)由两种不同的微生物群落组成,其微生物获取养分的能力不同。微塑料能影响根际效应,但是微塑料积累通过根际微生物群落影响作物净光合速率(NPR)的机制还不明晰因此,本研究通过盆栽实验,解析15%的聚乙烯(PE)和聚氯乙烯(PVC)微塑料添加对小麦NPR影响微生物机制。与对照相比,PE5%PVC1%5%)(w/w)处理下超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性降低了15.35-36.7%,过氧化物酶(POD)活性升高了32.47-61.93%,导致NPR下降了17.94-23.81%。在 PE1% PVC5%w/w)处理中,非根际土的细菌和真菌的Chao1ShannonSimpson多样性指数低于根际土。由于细菌和真菌群落组成和结构的变化,细菌和真菌网络复杂性分别降低和增加,以促进小麦生长。特尔检验表明,非根际土的细菌和真菌多样性指数与Olsen-P和磷酸酶呈正相关;而根际土的细菌和真菌多样性指数与NO3- β-14-葡萄糖苷酶呈正相关。结构方程模型表明,小麦酶活性和土壤水解活性与NPR成负相关。因此,小麦在PEPVC微塑料胁迫抗氧化防御策略降低其NPR,从而产生POD的协同效应。



Abstract  

Microplastic accumulation after film mulching affects nutrients cycling in the soil-crop system.  Bulk soil (BS) and rhizosphere soil (RS) have two different community compositions which lead to their different microbial nutrient acquisition abilities. Microplastics influence the rhizosphere effect. However, the mechanism by which microplastic accumulation affects the net photosynthetic rate (NPR) through rhizospheric microbial communities remains unknown. This study aimed to identify the mechanisms underlying the effects of polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics at 0, 1, and 5% (w/w) on the NPR in the wheat-soil ecosystem using a pot experiment. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was reduced by 15.35–36.7%, and that of peroxidase (POD) was increased by 32.47–61.93%, causing reductions in NPR (17.94–23.81%) in the PE5% and PVC (1 and 5%) (w/w) treatments compared with the control. The Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson indices of the bacterial and fungal diversities were lower in BS than in RS at PE1% and PVC5% (w/w), respectively. The bacterial and fungal network complexities were reduced and increased, respectively, owing to alterations in the bacterial and fungal community compositions and structures for wheat growth. The Mantel test showed that the bacterial and fungal diversity indices in BS had positive correlations with Olsen-P and phosphatase; however, those in RS were positively correlated with NO3- and β-1,4-glucosidase. The structural equation model indicated that wheat enzymatic and soil hydrolytic activities negatively affected NPR. Wheat has a profound antioxidant defense strategy for PE and PVC microplastic stress, which produces a synergistic effect of POD by protecting organelles and reducing tissue damage to preserve the NPR.

Keywords:  microplastics       microbial community       hydrolases       bacteria and fungi       wheat  
Online: 09 June 2025  
Fund: 

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42407458 and 42307420),the Global Challenges Research Fund of the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NE/V005871/1) and Shandong Province First-class Discipline Construction 811" Project

About author:  #Correspondence Tida Ge, E-mail: getida@nbu.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

Yuhuai Liu, Heng Wang, Li Wang, Jina Ding, Hui Zhai, Qiujing Ma, Can Hu, Tida Ge. 2025. Microplastics reduce the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) net photosynthetic rate through rhizospheric effects. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, Doi:10.1016/j.jia.2025.06.014

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