** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** AGRICULTURAL SOILS OFTEN SUFFER FROM DEGRADATION DUE TO OVERUSE, LEADING TO DECREASED YIELDS, INCREASED SOIL PATHOGENS, AND ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. TO COMBAT THIS, PRACTICES THAT PROMOTE SOIL HEALTH ARE INCREASINGLY RECOMMENDED, AS THEY CAN ENHANCE THE LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY OF AGRICULTURAL SOILS. PERENNIAL HERBACEOUS PLANTS, WITH THEIR DENSE AND DEEP ROOT SYSTEMS, SHOW GREAT POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVING SOIL HEALTH. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT GAPS IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW ROOT-MICROBE-SOIL INTERACTIONS CONTRIBUTE TO SOIL HEALTH, ESPECIALLY AT DEPTHS BEYOND 20 CM. IDENTIFYING THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ROOT TRAITS AND SOIL PROCESSES IS CRUCIAL FOR SELECTING PLANTS THAT ENHANCE SOIL HEALTH THROUGHOUT THE SOIL PROFILE.THIS NEW INVESTIGATOR SEED GRANT FOCUSES ON UNDERSTANDING HOW FOUR FORAGE SPECIES IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH UP TO A DEPTH OF 1 METER. BY CONDUCTING FOUNDATIONAL RESEARCH ALIGNED WITH THE NIFA SOIL HEALTH PROGRAM PRIORITY AREA (A1401), WE AIM TO ADVANCE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE OF SOIL PHYSICAL AND BIOGEOCHEMICAL PROCESSES. THROUGH DETAILED GREENHOUSE AND FIELD EXPERIMENTS, WE WILL EXPLORE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ROOT TRAITS, RHIZOSPHERE AND SOIL MICROBIOMES, AND OVERALL SOIL HEALTH. THESE INSIGHTS WILL BENEFIT FORAGE CROP PRODUCERS, AGRONOMISTS, SOIL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS, AND SCIENTISTS. BY ESTABLISHING A FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE COLLABORATIONS AND RESEARCH, THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS THE SEED GRANT GOAL OF PREPARING FOR FUTURE AFRI GRANT APPLICATIONS. OUR FINDINGS WILL BE SHARED WITH BOTH SCIENTIFIC AND AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES, ULTIMATELY AIDING IN THE SELECTION OF PLANTS THAT PROMOTE SOIL HEALTH OUTCOMES.