Microplastics affect the nitrogen nutrition status of soybean by altering the nitrogen cycle in the rhizosphere soil

Microplastics (MPs) are widely distributed in agricultural systems. However, studies on the comprehensive effects of MPs on nitrogen cycling in crop rhizosphere soil, and the changes this effect causes to crop growth is still limited. In this study, we investigated how three types of 5 % MPs (polystyrene, PS; polyethylene, PE; polyvinyl chloride, PVC) affect soybean growth by altering rhizosphere soil nitrogen cycling. These MPs have no direct toxic effects on soybean under hydroponic conditions. However, under soil cultivation conditions, PE and PS promoted soybean growth and increased soybean roots nitrogen content and nitrogen assimilation enzyme activity, while PVC does the opposite. Further study found that PE and PS increased the inorganic nitrogen content, and the activity of nitrogen cycle-related enzymes and the abundance of genes and microorganism in rhizosphere soil. Meanwhile, PVC significantly reduced the inorganic nitrogen contents, inhibited the activity of nitrogen cycling related enzymes, and destroyed the microbial community structure in rhizosphere soil. More importantly, PVC significantly reduced the abundance of nitrogen cycle-related genes and microorganisms, and increased the abundance of viruses. These results indicated that PE and PS promote soybean growth by activating the nitrogen cycle in the rhizosphere soil and increasing the soil nitrogen content, whereas PVC inhibits soybean growth by disrupting the nitrogen cycle in the rhizosphere soil and reducing its nitrogen content.