Adaptive evaluation of green manure rotation for a low fertility farmland system: Impacts on crop yield, soil nutrients, and soil microbial community

•Maize grain yield in intercropping system was 11.7% higher than that in continuous maize monoculture system.•Green manure-based cropping systems have a positive effect on improving soil nutrients.•Green manure intercropping with maize increased bacterial richness and diversity.•Green manure rotation or intercropping with crop can be adopted as an effective cropping system.