Harnessing the soybean microbiome: An integrated approach for abiotic stress resilience and sustainable production

Abstract

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is a globally important legume crop, yet its productivity is increasingly threatened by abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, temperature extremes, nutrient deficiencies, and heavy metal toxicity—pressures that are expected to intensify under climate change. Plant-associated microbiomes, comprising diverse bacteria, fungi, archaea, and microalgae, play pivotal roles in nutrient cycling, disease suppression, and stress mitigation. These microbial consortia offer a promising, nature-based strategy to enhance soybean resilience, reduce chemical inputs, and promote sustainable agricultural systems. However, translating laboratory findings on beneficial plant–microbe interactions into consistent field-level benefits remains a major challenge due to environmental variability and the complexity of microbial ecology. This review provides recent advances in understanding soybean–microbiome interactions under abiotic stress, emphasizing the synergistic potential of integrating beneficial microbes with improved crop genotypes and farmer-centred management practices. We highlight key microbial taxa, mechanisms of stress alleviation, and future directions for harnessing microbiomes to achieve climate-resilient soybean production.