Crop root-associated microbiomes have been heralded for their potential to improve plant health and productivity. Optimizing beneficial interactions with rhizosphere microorganisms has been proposed to reduce reliance on external inputs, increase pathogen resistance, and alleviate abiotic stresses. Producers of Theobroma cacao, the economically important tropical perennial whose pods are used to produce chocolate, are faced with numerous challenges to sustainable production and rising demand. Cacao further provides an interesting case study to complement the extensive plant microbiome research on annual crops in temperate regions. However, current knowledge of the cacao root-associated microbiome is limited. Characterizing the factors that influence the composition and functions of microbial communities associated with cacao roots is a key first step to developing microbiome-targeted interventions for improved agricultural sustainability in cacao agroecosystems. These rhizosphere engineering approaches can be understood within the framework of provisioning, regulating, and supporting ecosystem services. Here we review the potential of cacao root-associated microbiomes to solve current challenges to production by increasing provisioning of ecosystem services. The major points are the following: (1) We describe factors affecting the cacao root-associated microbiome by expanding the traditional model of genotype-by-environment (G × E) interactions to include agricultural management (G × E × M) and discuss the unique aspects of this model in cacao agroforestry systems. (2) We then highlight how specific breeding targets and management practices can be optimized to enhance the ecosystem services mediated by the cacao root-associated microbiome. Such optimizations of ecosystem services will alleviate the reliance on external inputs and, eventually, contribute to more sustainable cacao production systems.

作物根系相关微生物组因其改善植物健康和生产力的潜力而备受赞誉。已经提出优化与根际微生物的有益相互作用，以减少对外部输入的依赖，增加病原体抗性并减轻非生物胁迫。可可可可生产商是一种经济上重要的热带多年生植物，其豆荚用于生产巧克力，在可持续生产和不断增长的需求方面面临着众多挑战。Cacao 进一步提供了一个有趣的案例研究，以补充对温带地区一年生作物的广泛植物微生物组研究。然而，目前对可可根相关微生物组的了解是有限的。表征影响与可可根相关的微生物群落组成和功能的因素是开发针对微生物组的干预措施以提高可可农业生态系统农业可持续性的关键第一步。这些根际工程方法可以在提供、调节和支持生态系统服务的框架内理解。在这里，我们回顾了可可根相关微生物组通过增加生态系统服务供应来解决当前生产挑战的潜力。主要观点如下：（1）我们通过将基因型与环境（G×E）相互作用的传统模型扩展到包括农业管理（G×E×M）来描述影响可可根相关微生物组的因素，并讨论这种模式在可可农林业系统中的独特之处。(2) 然后，我们强调如何优化特定的育种目标和管理实践，以增强由可可根相关微生物组介导的生态系统服务。生态系统服务的这种优化将减轻对外部投入的依赖，并最终促进更可持续的可可生产系统。