Nanoplastic-abiotic stress interactions in rice
This study investigates how polystyrene nanoplastics interact with major abiotic stresses to affect rice (Oryza sativa) at the transcriptomic level. Nanoplastic pollution is an emerging threat to agricultural systems, yet its combined effects with environmental stresses such as salinity and heat remain poorly understood. Using RNA-seq, we examined rice seedlings exposed to nanoplastics alone or in combination with salt stress (including a post-stress recovery phase) and heat stress (chronic and acute regimes). The goal is to identify molecular mechanisms underlying nanoplastic-stress interactions, with implications for understanding crop resilience and agricultural risk assessment in contaminated environments.