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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Biological Control of Pests Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #399007
Research Project: Management of Aflatoxin and Other Mycotoxins in Row Crops such as Maize, Peanut, and Soybean

Location: Biological Control of Pests Research

Title: Microplastic uptake by birds: from observation to development of a novel seed coating approach to prevent bird predation of corn seeds

Author
item ACCINELLI, CESARE - University Of Bologna
item BRUNO, VERONICA - University Of Bologna
item Abbas, Hamed
item MORENA, CHIARA - University Of Bologna
item Khambhati, Vivek
item SHIER, WAYNE - University Of Minnesota

Submitted to: Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/11/2025
Publication Date: 2/20/2025
Citation: Accinelli, C., Bruno, V., Abbas, H.K., Morena, C., Khambhati, V.H., Shier, W.T. 2025. Microplastic uptake by birds: from observation to development of a novel seed coating approach to prevent bird predation of corn seeds. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-025-36115-x.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-025-36115-x

Interpretive Summary: Microplastic consists of small pieces of plastic in the environment that are produced during the natural breakdown of plastic materials in soil. Birds such as magpie, crow and pigeons eat microplastics that are associated with seed corn, such as in adherent soil or seed coatings that contain them. This study investigates methods of repelling birds from agricultural seeds. Coating seed corn with a slurry containing organic chemicals can repel birds from both the seeds and any microplastic associated with them. It was also helpful to coat the seeds with feathers or hairy cotton fibers which may have triggered a fear reaction in birds. These methods are relatively simple and can be expected to reduce the loss of some of the seeds after planting and thereby increase yields. It may also reduce ingestion of microplastics by birds ingest, since it is unknown what effects microplastics have on birds.”

Technical Abstract: The occurrence of microplastics in soil is an emerging issue that not only impacts soil ecology, but also has the potential to affect terrestrial birds foraging in agricultural fields. Foraging birds may unintentionally ingest soil-borne microplastics along with soil adhering to crop residues and seeds of cultivated species, particularly with no-till agriculture.