Technical Abstract: The need to enhance the sustainability of intensive agricultural systems is widely recognized. One promising approach is to encourage beneficial functions provided by microorganisms to decrease the inputs of fertilizers and pesticides. However, tremendous uncertainty exists in how this might be best accomplished. We highlight connections between plants and the rhizosphere microbiome and discuss the possibility of using plants as selective agents to enhance beneficial microbial activities and microbiome characteristics. We highlight gaps in our understanding and areas of research that are vital to our ability to more fully exploit the soil microbiome for agroecosystem productivity and sustainability.