Through this research, we aim to reorientate the current genetic breeding framework, shifting from improving a single crop to a concept where two crops benefit from their rotational synergy. To achieve this, we employed a specific combining ability strategy to evaluate 1,000 unique pairs of lentils and wheat in diverse environments, using a crop rotation system. The objective was to study the genetic contribution of 100 lentil genotypes to the yield and nitrogen use efficiency of subsequent 100 wheat lines. Preliminary results from the first rotation cycle show that certain lentil genotypes consistently improve the yield of the subsequent wheat crop. Specifically, we observed a “legacy effect” due to the lentil’s ability to allocate more nitrogen in plant residues and promote greater alpha bacterial diversity in the soil. In this presentation, we will highlight that superior lentil-wheat combinations provide significant benefits to wheat, even when the lentils perform poorly. This suggests that these traits are selectable for the development of more sustainable and highly synergistic legumes and cereals varieties.