Aktywność biodegradacyjna grzybów i oddziaływania grzyb-roślina w obecności mikroplastiku, OPUS 20 2020/39/B/NZ9/00471

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of microplastics (MPs) on the biodegradation activity of microscopic soil fungi and fungal-plant interactions. Plastic mulch films are intensively used in agriculture to suppress weed growth, prevent moisture loss, and improve crop yield. On the other hand, urban sewage sludge containing microplastic particles is used to fertilize soil. These particles pollute agricultural soil and could affect the soil ecosystem. As a result of human activity agricultural soil can also contain heavy metals and pesticides. Fungi are an important component of terrestrial ecology. Many of them have a positive (e.g. Trichoderma spp.) or negative (e.g. Fusarium spp.) effect on plant health, which is of major importance for human economy. The planned research on the impact of plastics on the plant growth in the presence of fungi has an innovative character. In the present project we hypothesize that MPs affect the biodegradation activity of fungi and fungal-plant interactions. To test our hypothesis we will examine (1) whether fungal activities expressed as their biodegradation potential towards herbicides in heavy metals presence are modified in the environment polluted with MPs as compared to control settings, (2) whether microplastic particles have effect on parallel interactions between wheat (Triticum aestivum) and the fungi Trichoderma spp. and/or Fusarium spp.. We also hypothesize that microplastics, apart from affecting the interaction between fungi and wheat, might have an impact on plant growth, germination, chlorophyll content and accumulation of metals (Zn and Cu) and be bound by wheat itself. Moreover, we will use low density polyethylene (LDPE), which is most often found in soils as well as poly-butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) as potential biodegradable alternative of LDPE as future plastic mulch film materials. The effects of MPs on soil fungi remain largely unexplored and represent a relevant area for future research. The data obtained will expand our knowledge of the influence of MPs on terrestrial microorganisms and their effects on plants.