Abstract

Soil microbiomes are pivotal in driving nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and plant health, making them critical for sustainable agriculture. Engineering these microbial communities through targeted amendments, such as biofertilizers and organic inputs, offers a promising approach to enhance soil fertility and reduce environmental impacts. This study evaluates the efficacy of microbiome engineering strategies, including microbial inoculants and cover cropping, in three agricultural systems. Using metagenomic sequencing, we assessed changes in microbial diversity and functional gene abundance. Results show that engineered microbiomes increased nitrogen fixation and organic matter decomposition, improving crop yields by 15–20%. These findings highlight the potential of microbiome engineering to promote sustainable agriculture, though challenges like scalability and long-term stability remain.