Diversified crop rotation improves continuous monocropping eggplant production by altering the soil microbial community and biochemical properties

Background and aims Vegetable production under the plastic tunnel is a steadily growing sector worldwide, but this type of cultivation threatens environmental sustainability by degrading soil through continuous cropping conditions (CMC). This study aimed to assess the role of crop rotation (CR) with different winter leafy vegetables in ameliorating CMC problems by manipulating soil chemical and biological properties. Method Four different leafy vegetables, including Welsh Onion (WO), Celery (CL), No Heading Chinese Cabbage (NCC), Lettuce (LT), and fallow eggplant (FE), were introduced during the eggplant fallow period (November-March) in two consecutive years, i.e., 2017 and 2018 following eggplant. We assessed eggplant production, soil chemical properties and described the soil microbial community under the introduced rotation system. Results The results revealed that CR with winter leafy vegetables modified the soil environment by improving soil organic carbon (SOC), soil chemical, and biochemical characteristics in both years. Sequencing results showed significant variations in fungal and bacterial community structures at the genus and phylum levels in response to CR. CR reduced some disease-causing pathogens at the fungal genus levels, including Fusarium and Ascomycota, in both years and increased the abundance of some beneficial taxa such as Mortierella and Bacillus. Conclusion These findings revealed the significance of crop rotation systems for sustainable production of eggplant under the plastic tunnel by enhancing soil physicochemical properties and soil beneficial microbes and reducing certain disease-causing soilborne pathogens.