Lingli  Shen^1,2

1 Tongxiang Hangji Ecological Agriculture Technology Co., Ltd., Tongxiang, 314500, Zhejiang, China
2 Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Molecular Soil Biology, 2026, Vol. 17, No. 5   
Received: 29 Jul., 2026    Accepted: 02 Sep., 2026    Published: 17 Sep., 2026

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Vegetable production systems often face severe soil fertility constraints due to continuous monoculture, excessive fertilizer inputs, and declining soil biological activity. Legume rotation has been increasingly recognized as an effective ecological strategy for restoring soil fertility and improving the sustainability of vegetable production. This review summarizes the effects and underlying mechanisms of legume rotation on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Legume crops enhance soil nitrogen availability through biological nitrogen fixation and contribute to nutrient cycling through the decomposition of root residues and aboveground biomass. Meanwhile, legume rotation improves soil organic matter accumulation, aggregate stability, water retention capacity, and microbial community structure, thereby creating a more favorable soil environment for subsequent vegetable growth. In addition, changes in soil enzyme activities and microbial interactions promote nutrient transformation processes and enhance soil ecological functions. The application of legume rotation has also been shown to improve vegetable yield, quality, nutrient use efficiency, and resistance to soil-borne diseases. A case study of long-term legume-vegetable rotation systems demonstrates that incorporating legumes into vegetable production can increase soil nutrient availability, regulate microbial communities, and reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers. However, challenges remain regarding rotation design, crop selection, regional adaptability, and integration with modern precision agriculture technologies. Future research should combine long-term field experiments, multi-omics approaches, and digital agricultural technologies to optimize legume rotation strategies and develop sustainable vegetable production systems. Overall, legume rotation represents a promising approach for enhancing soil fertility, maintaining soil health, and supporting environmentally sustainable vegetable agriculture.

Legume rotation; Soil fertility; Vegetable production systems; Soil microbial communities; Sustainable agriculture