The soil microbial impacts of integrating perennial forage seed crops in annual cropping sequences

Growing only annual grain and oilseed crops in short rotations can harm soil health. A 10-year study on the Canadian prairies showed that adding perennial forage seed crops to crop rotations, especially grassy perennials like creeping red fescue, improves soil health by boosting soil microbial biomass, microbial diversity, and enzyme activity involved in nutrient cycling. These mixed crop sequences increased soil carbon and supported richer fungal communities, while nitrogen fertilizer influenced the types of microbes present. Overall, integrating perennial crops into rotations is a promising way to enhance soil biology and sustainability in prairie farming.