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Intercropping has been widely studied owing to its potential to increase crop production and improve soil properties. The combination of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and lupin (Lupinus albus L.), along with P fertilization, has shown promising results in enhancing wheat yield. This study investigated the effects of intercropping wheat with chickpea and lupin, as well as P fertilization, on wheat yield, soil properties, and root morphological characteristics. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate chemical properties, basal soil respiration, and enzymatic activity. The results revealed that intercropping with chickpea and lupin, along with the addition of P, significantly increased the relative wheat yield compared with monoculture. The land equivalent ratio (LER) was also influenced by P fertilization, with wheat/lupin showing higher values than wheat/chickpea. Furthermore, aerial biomass exhibited significant differences between cropping systems and P fertilization, with the P+ treatment (220 kg ha-1) resulting in 24% higher aerial biomass during anthesis in the wheat/chickpea intercropping system than in wheat monocrops. The findings of this study indicate that the cropping system did not have a substantial impact on soil chemical properties. However, the interaction between cropping system and P fertilization had a significant effect on soil basal respiration. Although phosphatase activity remained unchanged by the cropping system and P fertilization, urease activity was significantly influenced by both factors, with a notable interaction effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread presence of microplastics (MPs) in agricultural soils raises concerns regarding their impact on crop health and productivity, particularly in legumes, which are known to have soil-enhancing properties. This study investigated the effects of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polyamide (PA) MPs on white lupine (Lupinus albus L.). Plants were cultivated for 110 days in glass pots containing 700 g of volcanic soil mixed with 2% w/w MPs, with four treatments (control, LDPE, PP, and PA) and five replicates each. The results indicated that PP increased soil ammonium and available nitrogen by 71% and 60%, respectively, compared to the control. LDPE increased root length by 3% and decreased chlorophyll content by 2.7%, whereas PA increased chlorophyll levels by 3.5%. Oxidative stress markers were significantly elevated in the LDPE and PA treatments, with 12% and 5.4% increases, respectively, compared with the control. However, no significant differences were observed in enzyme activity or basal soil respiration. These findings contribute to the understanding of how short-term exposure to MPs affects agricultural soils and emphasize the necessity for long-term studies to elucidate their potential effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synergistic effect between heavy metals and microplastics can affect soil properties as well as plant performance and yield. The objective of this study was to evaluate the combined effect of microplastics and cadmium on a soil–plant system. Specifically, we proposed to explore changes in soil microbiological activity, the growth and yield parameters of strawberry plants, and to evaluate the accumulation of these pollutants in the soil and root system. Plants were planted in clay pots under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was set up as a completely randomized design, with four treatments (Control; MPs; Cd; and Cd + MPs) and five replicates. The results showed that MPs and/or Cd affected plant growth, plant biomass, the number of fruits, root characteristics, dehydrogenase activity, acid phosphatase, and microbial biomass, and increased the accumulation of Cd in the roots and soil. The increased bioavailability of Cd, due to the presence of microplastics, could explain the observed negative effects on soil properties and the performance of strawberry plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccinium corymbosum L. (Ericaceae) is a highly valued fruit crop and the most common type of blueberry grown in Chile. Plant growth and yield crop production are affected by agricultural practices and different soil parameters including chemical and biological properties. We performed a field assay to assess the effect of the inoculation with a mixture of 10 microorganisms and the addition of humic substances on the growth of blueberry, quality of fruit and soil chemical and biological properties. Two years after planting, the microbial consortium was more effective than the addition of humic substances recording a 35% increase in shoot dry weight, 70% increase in root dry weight and 104% on total fruits yield compared to the control plants. Total polyphenols and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) in fruit were increased on humic substance treatment. The combination of both factors increased by 18% organic matter and 60% cation exchange capacity. Soil respiration, microbial biomass C and enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, phosphatase, β-glucosidase, urease, and protease) to a greater extent than individual application. The combined treatment, involving microbial inoculant and humic substances, had an additive effect on improving the biochemical and microbiological quality of the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) can act as vectors of contaminants such as fungicides and trace metals. Their presence in water or soil might affect fruits and vegetables, while interactions between MPs and copper (Cu) nanoparticles might pose greater risks to soil properties, plant development and yield. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the presence of MPs and Cu nanoparticles on plant growth and yield of strawberry, as well as on soil microbiological properties. The experiment was carried out in pots in a greenhouse; the soil was contaminated with polyethylene MPs and Cu nanoparticles. The design was completely randomized with four treatments (control, MPs, Cu, and Cu + MPs). Six months after planting, significant changes were observed in terms of plant height, stem diameter and root surface area. When compared to the control treatment, the MPs treatment resulted in a 27 % decrease in plant height, lower stem diameter values in all the contaminant treatments, and decreases in root surface area by 20 %, 21 % and 17 % in the MPs, Cu, and Cu + MPs treatments, respectively. Regarding number of inflorescences, total number of fruits, fruit weight and total aerial biomass, the MPs, Cu, and Cu + MPs treatments were statistically lower than the control (p < 0.05). The soil dehydrogenase activity decreased by 30 % due to the combined application of MPs and Cu nanoparticles, but this was not observed when MPs or Cu nanoparticles were applied alone, evidencing possible effects on the biological activity of the soil. Significant differences were found in acid phosphatase and urease activities in the Cu treatments with respect to the control and MPs treatments except for soil respiration. It can be concluded that the presence of Cu nanoparticles combined with polyethylene MPs favored a greater Cu availability in the soil and root Cu accumulation of strawberry plants. [Display omitted] • Interactions between MPs and Cu nanoparticles affect growth parameters of plant. • MPs and Cu nanoparticles significantly decreased dehydrogenase activity in soils. • MPs and Cu nanoparticles decreased root biomass and increased Cu in roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]