Polypropylene microfibers negatively affect soybean growth and nitrogen fixation regardless of soil type and mycorrhizae presence.

Recent studies have indicated that soil contamination with microplastics (MPs) can negatively affect agricultural productivity, although these effects vary greatly depending on the context. Furthermore, the mechanisms behind these effects remain largely unknown. In this study, we examined the impact of two concentrations of polypropylene (PP) fibers in the soil (0.

Nitrogen fertilization and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi do not mitigate the adverse effects of soil contamination with polypropylene microfibers on maize growth.

Soil contamination with microplastics may adversely affect soil properties and functions and consequently crop productivity. In this study, we wanted to verify whether the adverse effects of microplastics in the soil on maize plants (Zea mays L.) are due to a reduction in nitrogen (N) availability and a reduced capacity to establish symbiotic relationships with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi.