Combined Effects of Polyethylene and Bordeaux Mixture on the Soil–Plant System: Phytotoxicity, Copper Accumulation and Changes in Microbial Abundance

Silvia Romeo-Río, Huguette Meta Foguieng, Antía Gómez-Armesto (), Manuel Conde-Cid, David Fernández-Calviño and Andrés Rodríguez-Seijo
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Silvia Romeo-Río: Área de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade de Vigo, As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Huguette Meta Foguieng: Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA), Universidade de Vigo, Campus Auga, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Antía Gómez-Armesto: Área de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade de Vigo, As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Manuel Conde-Cid: Área de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade de Vigo, As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain
David Fernández-Calviño: Área de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade de Vigo, As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Andrés Rodríguez-Seijo: Área de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade de Vigo, As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 15, 1-20

Abstract: Greenhouses have positively impacted plant production by allowing the cultivation of different crops per year. However, the accumulation of agricultural plastics, potentially contaminated with agrochemicals, raises environmental concerns. This work evaluates the combined effect of Bordeaux mixture and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics (<5 mm) on the growth of lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.) and soil microbial communities. Different levels of Bordeaux mixture (0, 100 and 500 mg kg −1 ), equivalent to Cu(II) concentrations (0, 17 and 83 mg kg −1 ), LDPE microplastics (0, 1% and 5%) and their combination were selected. After 28 days of growth, biometric and photosynthetic parameters, Cu uptake, and soil microbial responses were evaluated. Plant germination and growth were not significantly affected by the combination of Cu and plastics. However, individual Cu treatments influenced root and shoot length and biomass. Chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations increased with Cu addition, although the differences were not statistically significant. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis revealed a reduction in microbial biomass at the highest Cu dose, whereas LDPE alone showed limited effects and may reduce Cu bioavailability. These results suggest that even at the highest concentration added, Cu can act as a plant nutrient, while the combination of Cu–plastics showed varying effects on plant growth and soil microbial communities.

Keywords: agricultural areas; ecotoxicology; microorganisms; growth test; chlorophyll; carotenoids; soil; microbial diversity; microplastic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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