Evaluating Plastic Residues’ Impact on Plant Health and Soil Ecosystems

Plants, as the fundamental building blocks of terrestrial ecosystems, are increasingly threatened by the accumulation of plastic debris in soils. This debris not only impacts soil quality but also has consequential effects on plant health, growth, and performance. As bioplastics emerge as a more sustainable alternative to conventional plastics, their influence on plant-soil systems remains under investigation. Although bioplastics are considered more environmentally friendly due to their biodegradability, the nuances of their integration in ecosystems like microbe interactions and potential plant stress responses need further exploration. Gaining insights into how both conventional plastics and bioplastics alter these plant-soil dynamics is essential to support sustainable agricultural practices.

This Research Topic centers on unraveling the complex interactions between plastic residues and plant health. Our goal is to enhance understanding of how plastic and bioplastic residues affect plant physiology, soil structure, microbial communities, and ecosystem function. We aim to scrutinize the conditions under which bioplastics degrade and assess their interactions with plant roots and rhizosphere dynamics, determining whether they pose a similar or different threat compared to conventional plastics. By doing so, we endeavor to guide the development of truly sustainable and plant-compatible bioplastics.

To gather further insights into plant resilience and soil interactions under stress conditions, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Biodegradation dynamics of plastic and bioplastic materials affecting plant roots

• Effects of micro- and nano-plastic particles on plant stress responses and rhizosphere interactions

• Impact on soil microbial communities and nutrient uptake in plant roots

• Evaluation of bioplastics’ life cycle and risk concerning plant health

• Innovative materials and strategies for sustainable plant-compatible plastic alternatives

• Long-term assessments of plastic impacts in plant growth and performance in field conditions

We encourage the submission of original research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, and perspectives, especially interdisciplinary studies providing new insights into developing sustainable materials benefiting plant growth and overall ecosystem health.

Article types and fees

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

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... 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:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Microplastics, Bioplastics, Plant Health, Microbial Communities

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.