Legacies at work: plant-soil-microbiome interactions underpinning agricultural sustainability

Abstract

Agricultural intensification has had long-lasting negative legacies largely because of excessive inputs of agrochemicals (e.g., fertilizers) and simplification of cropping systems (e.g., continuous monocropping). Conventional agricultural management focuses on suppressing these negative legacies. However, there is now increasing attention for creating positive above- and belowground legacies through selecting crop species/genotypes, optimizing temporal and spatial crop combinations, improving nutrient inputs, developing intelligent fertilizers, and applying soil or microbiome inoculations. This can lead to enhanced yields and reduced pest and disease pressure in cropping systems, and can also mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon sequestration in soils. Strengthening positive legacies requires a deeper understanding of plant-soil-microbiome interactions and innovative crop, input, and soil management which can help to achieve agricultural sustainability.

Keywords: agricultural sustainability; crop diversification; crop rotation; interspecific interactions; legacy effect; plant–soil feedback.