Crop rotation has been used since Roman times to improve
plant nutrition and to control the spread of disease. A new study to be published
in Nature’s ‘The ISME Journal’ reveals the profound effect it has on enriching
soil with bacteria, fungi and protozoa.
“Changing the crop species massively changes the content of
microbes in the soil, which in turn helps the plant to acquire nutrients,
regulate growth and protect itself against pests and diseases, boosting yield,”
said Professor Philip Poole from the John Innes Centre.