Microplastics pose great risks to terrestrial systems owing to their large quantity and strong persistence. Higher plants, an irreplaceable part of the terrestrial ecosystem, are inevitably exposed to microplastics. This review highlights the effects of microplastics on higher plant growth and performance. The tested microplastics, plant species, and cultural methods used in existing studies were summarized. We discussed the reasons why these microplastics, plants, and methods were selected. The various responses of higher plants to microplastics in both soils and waters were critically reviewed. We also highlighted the influencing mechanisms of microplastics on higher plants. Conclusively, more than 13 types of common microplastics and more than 30 species of higher plants have been selected and studied by the published literatures. Soil culture tests and hydroponic experiments are almost equally divided. The effects of microplastics on higher plants varied among microplastic properties, plant species, and environmental factors. Microplastics had no or positive effects on higher plants under certain experimental conditions. However, more studies showed that microplastics can inhibit higher plant growth and performance. We reduced the inhibitory mechanisms into direct and indirect mechanisms. The direct mechanisms include blocking pores or light, causing mechanical damage to roots, hindering genes expression, and releasing additives. The indirect mechanisms contain changing soil properties, affecting soil microbes or soil animals, and affecting bioavailability of other pollutants. This review improves the understanding of effects and influencing mechanisms of microplastics on higher plants.

微塑料由于数量多且持久性强，对陆地系统构成巨大风险。高等植物是陆地生态系统不可替代的一部分，不可避免地会接触到微塑料。这篇综述强调了微塑料对更高植物生长和性能的影响。总结了现有研究中使用的测试微塑料、植物物种和培养方法。我们讨论了选择这些微塑料、植物和方法的原因。对高等植物对土壤和水中微塑料的各种反应进行了批判性审查。我们还强调了微塑料对高等植物的影响机制。最终，已发表的文献选择和研究了 13 多种常见的微塑料和 30 多种高等植物。土壤培养试验和水培试验几乎平分秋色。微塑料对高等植物的影响因微塑料特性、植物种类和环境因素而异。在某些实验条件下，微塑料对高等植物没有影响或有积极影响。然而，更多的研究表明，微塑料可以抑制更高的植物生长和性能。我们将抑制机制简化为直接和间接机制。直接机制包括阻塞孔隙或光线，对根部造成机械损伤，阻碍基因表达和释放添加剂。间接机制包括改变土壤性质，影响土壤微生物或土壤动物，以及影响其他污染物的生物利用度。