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Abstract To improve cover crops such as peas (Pisum sativum), as rotational partners, intraspecific variation for cover cropping traits such as nutrient mobilization, carbon deposition, and beneficial microbial recruitment must be identified. The majority of research on cover crops has focused on interspecies comparisons for cover cropping variation with minimal research investigating intraspecies variation. To address if variation of cover cropping traits is present within a cover cropping species, we grew 15 diverse accessions (four modern cultivars, three landraces, and eight wild accessions) of pea in a certified organic setting. We measured various cover cropping traits, such as nutrient mobilization, soil organic matter deposition, and microbial recruitment, and quantified the effect of pea accession on the growth and yield of a subsequently planted crop of corn (Zea mays). We discovered that the domestication history of pea has a significant impact on soil properties. Specifically, domesticated peas (modern cultivars and landraces) had higher average plant–soil feedback values for amounts of nitrogen, carbon, and manganese compared to wild peas. Additionally, no variation for prokaryotic recruitment (α‐ and β‐diversity) was observed within pea; however, we did observe significant variation for fungal recruitment (α‐ and β‐diversity) due to domestication and accession. Our results demonstrate that there is variation present in peas, and likely all crops, that can be selected to improve them as rotational partners to ultimately boost crop yields in sustainable agroecosystems. 

Food system sustainability, and ways of measuring it, are widely explored and discussed in academic literature. Measurement efforts are challenging because food systems are inherently complex and multifaceted, spanning diverse components, indus­tries, sectors, and scales. Several systems of indica­tors and metrics have been proposed to measure sustainability; however, most existing research focuses either on narrow scales (e.g., farm level or within a single supply chain), expansive scales that can gloss over complexity (e.g., national or global assessments), or limited scopes (e.g., only consider­ing environmental factors). A gap in the literature is a holistic local or regional approach to food sys­tem sustainability that integrates components across the system at a regional scale. In this reflec­tive essay, we describe our development of a framework to measure and track sustainability in such systems. We use a tiered framework that includes five sustainability dimensions and a system of indices, indicators, and metrics that allows for the measurement of important food system charac­teristics in a feasible and reproducible way. We employ a collaborative, transdisciplinary, facilitated team science process to first propose, and then refine, a sustainability assessment framework, using the U.S. state of Vermont as a case study. This paper details our process and progress, as well as reflections on challenges and recommendations for other team scientists. We further propose a plan to implement the framework, collect data, and engage with community members. The experiences and findings described here serve as a foundation for our own team’s continued work, as well as a springboard for other similar research efforts.