{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Polystyrene nanoplastics in soil impair drought priming-induced low temperature tolerance in wheat.
{Author}: Wang L;Sui Y;Zhang P;Wang Z;Li S;Liu T;Li X;
{Journal}: Plant Physiol Biochem
{Volume}: 210
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2024 May 18
{Factor}: 5.437
{DOI}: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108643
{Abstract}: Drought priming is known to enhance plant low temperature tolerance, whereas polystyrene nanoplastic contamination exerts detrimental effects on plant growth. This study investigates the less-explored influence of nanoplastic contamination on cold stress tolerance in drought-primed plants. We compared the photosynthetic carbon assimilation, carbohydrate metabolism, reactive oxygen species metabolism, and grain yield between the non-primed and drought-primed wheat grown in both nanoplastic-contaminated and healthy soils. Our results reveal that the beneficial effects of drought priming on photosynthetic carbon assimilation and the efficiency of the "water-water" cycle were compromised in the presence of nanoplastics (nPS). Additionally, nPS exposure disturbed carbohydrate metabolism, which impeded source-to-sink transport of sugar and resulted in reduced grain yield in drought-primed plants under low temperature conditions. These findings unveil the suppression of nPS on drought-primed low-temperature tolerance (DPLT) in wheat plants, suggesting an intricate interplay between the induction of stress tolerance and responses to nPS contamination. The study raises awareness about a potential challenge for future crop production.