biodegradable-alternatives
Biodegradable alternatives are materials designed to decompose naturally in the environment, replacing synthetic products that persist indefinitely in ecosystems. In plant science, this field is critical because persistent synthetic materials—such as plastic mulches and agricultural films—accumulate in soil and can impair plant growth and soil health. Developing biodegradable substitutes enables sustainable agriculture while preventing long-term environmental contamination that threatens plant ecosystem integrity.
PubMed · 2026-02-15
Biodegradable plastic bag microplastics harm plant growth and trigger stress responses more than conventional plastics, raising concerns about the ecological safety of compostable alternatives increasingly used in agriculture.
Both PBAT biodegradable microplastics reduced sunflower shoot and root biomass at 0.5% and 1.0% soil concentrations, while conventional PE microplastics showed no effect.
Proline levels increased significantly at higher PBAT concentrations, indicating activation of drought-like stress response pathways.
Soil water holding capacity increased at 1% of all microplastic types, reducing water availability for plants; pH increased notably at high PBAT concentrations.
