Potential of Halotolerant Mycobiota in Microplastic Degradation and Biosalinity Mitigation for Food Security

The concept for this Research Topic emerged from discussions held after the Deep Dive webinar dedicated to the Frontiers in Science lead article, Plastic pollution under the influence of climate change: implications for the abundance, distribution, and hazards in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems .Soil salinization poses a growing threat to agricultural productivity and food security, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Microplastics further complicate this issue by impacting soil structure and crop health in salinized agricultural systems.In salt-affected soils, microplastics influence salinity, nutrient cycling—especially organic carbon and nitrogen—and biota, resulting in mixed outcomes for soil quality and crop yields. They alter water flow, aggregate structure, ion balance, and microbial communities, affecting plant salt tolerance. The extent of these effects depends on factors such as polymer type, concentration, and management practices, highlighting a significant research gap.Understanding the interaction between microplastics and salinity is crucial for enhancing soil health and agricultural productivity. Targeted research is urgently needed to guide mitigation efforts in the face of increasing plastic pollution.Microplastic pollution and soil salinization pose significant threats to global food security, particularly in coastal and arid regions where saline conditions hinder agricultural productivity and facilitate microplastic accumulation. In this context, halotolerant mycobiota, fungi and microorganisms adapted to high-salt environments, emerge as effective agents for bioremediation. Their unique metabolic capabilities enable them to address both microplastic contamination and biosalinity.These microorganisms can restore soil function in salinized agricultural lands by degrading persistent plastic pollutants that exacerbate soil stress, contributing to organic matter cycling and nutrient release, thereby enhancing crop productivity. Their ability to simultaneously degrade plastics and tolerate salinity positions them as sustainable solutions for improving agricultural outcomes.In hypersaline environments, halophilic microbes facilitate microplastic bioremediation by forming specialized biofilms known as plastispheres, using salt-resistant enzymes to partially depolymerize plastics. However, the complete mineralization of microplastics remains slow, and optimizing engineered halophilic consortia for effective cleanup at scale is a challenge. Furthermore, the introduction of microplastics into salinized soils alters microbial communities and nutrient cycling, emphasizing the need for integrated approaches to mitigate these converging threats.Research contributions should focus on optimizing fungal strain selection and enzyme engineering for greater efficiency; conducting long-term field trials to link remediation outcomes with agricultural productivity; assessing ecological risks; and developing integrated plant-microbe systems for specific agroecosystems.Key questions include the effects of various types and doses of microplastics on secondary salinization patterns over multiple growing seasons, and the mechanisms connecting microplastic-induced aggregation changes to altered salt transport. Investigations should also explore how different crop species respond to combined stresses from microplastics and salinity, as well as the impact of microplastics on nutrient cycling and microbial communities in salinized soils.Special studies should examine nutrient cycling alterations, microbial community reshaping, and the potential of enzyme engineering to enhance halotolerant fungal plastic degradation. Finally, the effectiveness of integrated plant-mycobiota consortia in simultaneously remediating plastics and improving crop yields warrants thorough investigation. Topic editors: Felipe Ascencio, Norma Yolanda Hernandez Saavedra, Imen Saadaoui, Asifa Qureshi Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79034/potential-of-halotolerant-mycobiota-in-microplastic-degradation-and-biosalinity-mitigation-for-food-security