Soil microbiome plays a vital role in nutrient cycling, disease suppression, and overall soil ecosystem functioning. Legumes, due to their nitrogen-fixing abilities, are often incorporated into crop rotations and intercropping systems to enhance soil fertility. However, their influence on soil microbial communities, especially at the functional and community levels, remains insufficiently understood. Advances in high-throughput sequencing and functional genomics have enabled deeper insights into microbial diversity and activity, revealing potential pathways through which legumes modify soil microbiomes. Understanding these interactions is key to developing sustainable farming practices that leverage microbiomes to improve soil health, crop productivity, and resilience to environmental stresses. This Research Topic aims to collate recent advances in microbiome research related to legume-based cropping systems globally, fostering interdisciplinary approaches and innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture.

This Research Topic aims to explore the effects of legume intercropping and rotation practices on soil microbial communities and their functional roles within agroecosystems. As sustainable agricultural practices gain prominence, understanding how different crop management strategies influence soil microbiota is critical for improving soil health, nutrient cycling, and crop productivity. We invite Original Research articles, Reviews, and Methods that investigate changes in microbial diversity, community structure, functional genes, and microbial interactions driven by legume-based crop systems. This collection seeks to bridge microbiology and agronomy, providing insights into microbiome-mediated mechanisms that underpin sustainable cropping systems. The findings will inform best practices for integrating legumes into cropping sequences to enhance soil microbial resilience and agricultural productivity.

This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, methods and perspectives that address the following themes:

The impact of legume intercropping and rotation on soil microbial community structure and diversity.
The functional roles of specific microbial groups (e.g., nitrogen-fixing bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, phosphate-solubilizing bacteria) in legume-based cropping systems.
The effects of legume intercropping and rotation on soil microbial activity and nutrient cycling.
The role of soil microbiomes in disease suppression and plant health in legume-based cropping systems.
The application of metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and other omics approaches to study soil microbiomes in legume intercropping and rotation systems.
Modeling the interactions between legumes, soil microbes, and crops in intercropping and rotation systems.

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Legume Intercropping and Rotation: Impacts on Soil Microbiomes