Researchers found that microplastic pollution from plastic bottles (PET) seriously harms corn crops and the soil life around them, but inoculating plants with two naturally occurring beneficial fungi together — Trichoderma and Metarhizium — largely reversed that damage, outperforming either fungus used alone.
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PET microplastic exposure caused significant declines in maize biomass, chlorophyll content, and root development, alongside measurable increases in oxidative stress and cell membrane damage.
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Combined inoculation with Trichoderma longibrachiatum and Metarhizium anisopliae outperformed either fungus alone, more effectively suppressing reactive oxygen species and restoring antioxidant balance under microplastic stress.
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The fungal consortium also improved soil-level outcomes — enhancing nitrogen cycling, stimulating key soil enzymes, and promoting a more diverse and active microbial community in microplastic-contaminated soil.
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