Research Projects

Under the Indian scenario, agricultural soil has not been explored for the distribution of microplastic contaminants and, thereby, its effect on its health and ecosystems. Although 80% of plastic pollutants end up in soils as agro-plastics and from landfill sites. Available scientific evidence from worldwide studies suggests that crop physiology and its interacting microflora are affected due to microplastic contaminates. But accumulation studies inside the crop system and its entry to its sink still need improvement. GHG effluxes from the soil environment under the influence of various microplastics are also required as climate resilience is reduced when the plastics enter the ecosystem. Another critical aspect of the proposal will be the environmental impact assessment of microplastics originating from biodegradable plastics (BMP). Complete decomposition of biodegradable polymers requires Industry-grade composting equipment, as the degradation rate is prolonged under home composting or burying. Few studies have indicated that due to its slow decomposition rate, its weathering potential is much higher than conventional plastic, leading to a rapid build-up of BMPs in the environment. And due to its high recalcitrance, it reduces plant health severely. Hence environmental risk assessment studies must be conducted on BMP so that future strategies can be devised for its usage and disposal. The microbial community is the most versatile sensor of ecosystem changes; high throughput metagenome sequencing studies on plastisphere are one of the emerging aspects of plastic fate research, and the approach will shed light on how the plastic contaminates are affecting the balanced flux of soil nutrient cycling and community development on plastic fragments. After understanding the wholesome environmental risks associated with plastic contaminants, strategies must be implemented to curtail the effect of MP contamination on crop health. A pilot scale study will be conducted on peas (Pisum sativum), using plant-soil feedback to ameliorate the impact of plastic contaminants on the health of peas. Plant-soil feedback experiments are two-phased studies divided into a conditioning phase in which the whole rhizosphere community of legacy plants grown under plastic contamination will serve as inoculum for pea, which will receive feedback. It is expected to improve plant fitness against plastic stress.