Stable states and keystone species in soil microbiomes of agroecosystems

Archaea, bacteria, and fungi in the soil are increasingly recognized as major determinants of agricultural productivity and sustainability. Although our knowledge of soil biodiversity has been greatly enhanced for the last decade, defining key characteristics of stable microbiome structure and their ecosystem functions remains a major challenge. We here show that alternative stable statesof soil microbiomes can be defined with their disease-suppressive effects on crop plants.