Laboratorio di Fisiologia Vegetale
The dark side of MIcro- and NAnoplastics in the soil: impact on CROP physiology and pathogen resistance (MINACROP)
PRIN: PROGETTI DI RICERCA DI RILEVANTE INTERESSE NAZIONALE – Bando 2022
Partners
- RU1-UNIFI (Coordinator) – Università di Firenze: Prof. Ilaria Colzi (PI) and Prof. Cristina Gonnelli from Dipartimento di Biologia; Prof. Luigia Pazzagli from Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sperimentali e Cliniche 'Mario Serio'.
- RU2–CNR – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche: Dr. Ivan Baccelli (Substitute PI) from Istituto per la protezione sostenibile delle piante, sezione di Firenze.
- RU3–UNITUS – Università della Tuscia: Prof. Silvia Proietti from Dipartimento di Scienze Ecologiche e Biologiche.
Summary of the project
It is widely acknowledged that we live in a “plastic age”, characterized by a continuous increase in the production and use of synthetic polymers to meet growing societal demands. As a consequence, micro- and nano-plastic particles (MNPs) have emerged as a global environmental concern, raising widespread alarm due to their ubiquity, persistence, and potential ecological and toxicological risks. Although increasing attention has been devoted to the behavior of MNPs in soil–plant systems, their direct impact on crop health remains insufficiently explored. Understanding how MNP accumulation in agricultural soils affects plant physiology is essential, particularly because crops and their fruits enter the human food chain.
The MINACROP project addresses this knowledge gap by investigating the physiological, biochemical, and phytopathological effects of MNPs on the model crop species Solanum lycopersicum (cv. Micro-Tom and cv. San Marzano Nano). In addition, during the course of the project, the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana was included to broaden the experimental framework and allow comparison with a well-established model plant species. Specifically, the project aims to characterize the impact of environmentally realistic concentrations of MNPs on: i) tomato physiology and biochemistry, from primary metabolism to fruit quality; and ii) plant disease resistance mechanisms and pathogen susceptibility. Plants were grown under controlled laboratory conditions and exposed to soils artificially contaminated with different plastic polymers (polyvinyl chloride-PVC and polyethylene terephthalate-PET). The effects of MNP-contaminated soils were investigated through an extensive set of biochemical and physiological analyses, including photosynthetic performance, pigment content, growth parameters, productivity, nutrient status, and oxidative stress markers, complemented by transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling. The project evaluated changes in biomass production, plant performance, fruit yield, and fruit quality, an aspect not previously investigated in depth. For the first time, the project also examined the possible impact of MNPs on plant innate immune responses and disease resistance mechanisms. Given the transition of agriculture toward sustainability goals, it is essential to understand how soil contamination by MNPs may influence crop susceptibility to pathogens. Increased vulnerability could lead to yield losses and greater reliance on plant protection products.
MINACROP provided multifaceted benefits to both the international scientific community and society at large. By advancing knowledge on MNP–plant interactions, the project results will be helpful in supporting evidence-based policy decisions regarding the safe management of microplastics in agroecosystems and contributing to raising public awareness of the risks associated with plastic pollution.