Babar Iqbal

The extensive utilisation and inadequate disposal of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) pose significant threats to soil–plant ecosystems. The present review assembles evidence concerning their behaviour and impacts within soil–plant systems. In soils, PS-MPs alter the composition of microbial communities, elevate respiration stress, and regulate the activity of extracellular enzymes.

1 Introduction Rice is a major cereal crop that provides food for more than half of the world's population (Hashim et al. 2024; Mboyerwa et al. 2022). The global demand for rice continues to rise due to rapid population growth (Zhou et al. 2021). Satisfying this demand requires a substantial boost in rice production. However, rapid urbanization, shrinking arable land, increasing land pollution, and insufficient use of natural resources make it harder to increase rice yield (Yang et al.

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