Plastic is a general term used for a wide range of high molecular weight organic polymers obtained mostly from the various hydrocarbon and petroleum derivatives. There is an ever-increasing trend towards the production and consumption of plastics due to their extensive industrial and domestic applications. However, a wide spectrum of these polymers is non-biodegradable with few exceptions. The extensive use of plastics, lack of waste management, and casual community behavior towards their proper disposal pose a significant threat to the environment. This has raised growing concerns among various stakeholders to devise policies and innovative strategies for plastic waste management, use of biodegradable polymers especially in packaging, and educating people for their proper disposal. Current polymer degradation strategies rely on chemical, thermal, photo, and biological procedures. In the presence of proper waste management strategies coupled with industrially controlled biodegradation facilities, the use of biodegradable plastics for some applications such as packaging or health industry is a promising and attractive option for economic, environmental, and health benefits. This review highlights the classification of plastics with special emphasis on biodegradable plastics and their rational use, the identified mechanisms of plastic biodegradation, the microorganisms involved in biodegradation, and the current insights into the research on biodegradable plastics. The review has also identified the research gaps in plastic biodegradation followed by future research directions.

A large number of metallic nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by using different plant extracts and microbes including bacteria, fungi viruses and microalgae. Some of these metallic nanoparticles showed strong antimicrobial activities against phytopathogens. Here, we summarized these green-synthesized nanoparticles from plants and microbes and their applications in the control of plant pathogens. We also discussed the potential deleterious effects of the metallic nanoparticles on plants and beneficial microbial communities associated with plants. Overall, this review calls for attention regarding the use of green-synthesized metallic nanoparticles in controlling plant diseases and clarification of the risks to plants, plant-associated microbial communities, and environments before using them in agriculture.

No abstract

No abstract