Soil microbial inoculants are being developed to improve crop yield and reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides. However, current methods of selecting and producing these inoculants may not be effective. The traits that make a microorganism successful in a lab setting may not translate to success in the field. There is a lack of consideration for traits that allow the microorganisms to survive in the soil and prevent them from persisting excessively. This can lead to unpredictable and unreliable results when using microbial inoculants in agricultural practices.