Micro- And Nanoplastics in Agroecosystems: Plant Responses, Soil Interactions, and Remediation Strategies

Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) have emerged as ubiquitous environmental contaminants that pose significant challenges to agricultural ecosystem sustainability and food security. These persistent pollutants enter agroecosystems through multiple pathways, including plastic mulch degradation, irrigation with contaminated water, biosolid applications, and atmospheric deposition. Current estimates indicate MNP concentrations ranging from hundreds to thousands of particles per kilogram in agricultural soils worldwide, with concentrations continuing to increase as plastic production and agricultural plastic usage expand globally.

The presence of MNPs in agricultural systems creates complex interactions across multiple scales, from molecular-level cellular processes to ecosystem-wide biogeochemical cycles. These particles demonstrate the capacity to alter soil physical properties, including aggregate stability, porosity, and water retention characteristics, while simultaneously affecting chemical processes such as nutrient availability and cation exchange capacity. Moreover, MNPs influence soil biological communities, including beneficial microorganisms essential for plant nutrition and soil health maintenance.

Plant responses to MNP exposure encompass diverse physiological and developmental alterations, ranging from modifications in root architecture and nutrient uptake efficiency to changes in photosynthetic performance and stress defense mechanisms. These responses vary considerably based on particle size, polymer type, concentration, and environmental conditions, necessitating comprehensive investigation across multiple plant species and agricultural systems. Concurrently, the development of effective remediation strategies requires understanding of MNP behavior in soil matrices and their interactions with various amendment materials and management practices.

This Research Topic addresses the critical knowledge gap between understanding MNP impacts on plants and developing practical solutions for sustainable agricultural management in contaminated environments. While extensive literature documents MNP occurrence and general environmental effects, comprehensive understanding of plant-soil-MNP interactions and validated remediation approaches remains insufficient for evidence-based agricultural decision-making.

The primary objective focuses on elucidating the complex relationships between MNPs, soil processes, and plant responses within agricultural contexts while simultaneously evaluating remediation strategies that can maintain or enhance agricultural productivity. Recent technological advances in analytical methodologies, including advanced spectroscopic techniques and high-resolution imaging systems, enable unprecedented characterization of MNP distribution and behavior in agricultural systems. Additionally, emerging understanding of plant stress responses and soil amendment technologies provides opportunities for developing targeted intervention strategies.

This Research Topic aims to establish a comprehensive scientific foundation that bridges fundamental research on MNP-agroecosystem interactions with practical applications for agricultural stakeholders, thereby facilitating the development of evidence-based management practices that ensure agricultural sustainability in the presence of plastic contamination.

This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, comprehensive reviews, systematic meta-analyses, perspective articles, and methodological papers that advance understanding of MNP dynamics in agroecosystems and associated management strategies. We particularly encourage submissions that integrate multiple disciplinary approaches and demonstrate practical relevance to agricultural systems.

• Plant physiological and molecular responses to MNP exposure, encompassing investigations of growth parameters, nutrient uptake mechanisms, stress biomarker expression, and adaptive responses across diverse crop species and exposure scenarios

• Soil-MNP interactions and ecosystem impacts, examining how MNPs influence soil physical structure, chemical properties, microbial community composition and function, and biogeochemical processes critical to agricultural productivity

• Remediation and mitigation strategies, including evaluation of soil amendments such as biochar and organic matter, biological treatment approaches, agronomic management practices, and integrated intervention systems assessed through both soil restoration and plant performance metrics

• Analytical methodology development, focusing on novel techniques for MNP detection, quantification, and characterization in complex agricultural matrices, including soil, plant tissues, and agricultural products

• Field-scale studies and case investigations, demonstrating real-world MNP dynamics, impact assessment, and remediation strategy effectiveness under authentic agricultural conditions across diverse geographic and climatic regions

• Risk assessment and management frameworks, providing scientific foundations for policy development, agricultural best practices, and sustainable management approaches in MNP-contaminated agricultural environments

Please note: studies may employ diverse methodological approaches ranging from controlled laboratory experiments to large-scale field trials, provided they contribute to understanding MNP-agroecosystem interactions or advancing practical management solutions. Interdisciplinary investigations that integrate soil science, plant biology, environmental chemistry, and agricultural engineering perspectives are particularly encouraged.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Microplastics, Nanoplastics, Agroecosystems, Plant Physiology, Soil Health, Agricultural Sustainability, Remediation Strategies, Biochar, Soil-Plant Interactions, Environmental Contamination

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.