High frequency cropping of pulses modifies soil nitrogen level and the rhizosphere bacterial microbiome in 4-year rotation systems when sufficient moisture is present

We tested the hypothesis that increasing the frequency of pea, lentil and chickpea in 4-year crop rotations systems would cause corresponding shifts in the soil bacterial community. The field experiment was conducted in 2010-2013 and replicated in 2011-2014. 16S rDNA amplicon pyrosequencing was used to examine the rhizosphere bacterial communities following the third year (phase-3) of the rotations and root endophytic bacterial communities during the fourth year (phase-4) when all rotations were seeded to wheat.