Abstract
•Soil and its microbial communities play a pivotal role in nutrient cycling, plant growth, and overall ecosystem health.•Over time, the co-evolution of plant-microbe relationships has fostered an interdependence that is central to the microbial loop, significantly contributing to ecosystem functionality.•The ecological and biological dimensions of food production necessitate the adoption of sustainable practices that preserve microbial diversity and promote a holistic management approach to enhance agricultural productivity.•Co-occurrence analysis synthesizes insights across the sections and validates the discussed topics, reinforcing the need for comprehensive scientific understanding to guide effective agricultural practices and policy-making.