Tobacco intercropping enhances soil fertility by improving synergic interactions between soil physicochemical and microbial properties

Intercropping systems substantially improved soil ecological functionality by modulating microbial community composition and nutrient dynamics. Tobacco-maize intercropping reinforced soil ecosystem stability through enrichment of functional microorganisms and optimization of community architecture, while tobacco-soybean intercropping leveraged nitrogen fixation by legumes to augment nitrogen availability and facilitate the establishment of nitrogen-cycling microbes, demonstrating superior efficacy in enhancing soil fertility. These findings suggest that tobacco intercropping can be sustainable agricultural strategy to maintain soil health and productivity in the era of climate change.