<p>To promote the use of legumes for the alleviation of sodicity in small-scale irrigated sugarcane plantations to reduce the cost of soil amendments for small-scale sugarcane farmers.&#xa0;A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted by growing <i>Canavalia rosea</i> (Sw.) DC. in high sodium (Na⁺) concentration/sodic sugarcane plantation soils over a period of seven months. Plant material and soil characteristics, including salinity indicators, were analysed pre– and post- <i>C. rosea</i> harvest.&#xa0;<i>Canavalia rosea </i>hyperaccumulated more sodium (Na⁺) with age significantly decreasing soil Na⁺ concentrations from 271.870 to 51.573 µmol Na g^-1 post- <i>C. rosea </i>harvesting. The electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) were significantly reduced after three months and remained statistically similar over the period to the seventh month. <i>Pseudomonas putida</i> and various species in the <i>Bacillus</i> genus including <i>B. amyloliquefaciens</i>, <i>B. safensis</i>, <i>B. pumulis</i>, <i>B. subtilis</i>, and <i>B. zhangzhouensis</i> were isolated from <i>C. rosea </i>plants, revealing associations that likely assisted <i>C. rosea</i> in Na⁺tolerance and improved nutrient availability. The increased abundance of <i>Flavobacterium</i> species in rhizosphere soils was attributed to the ability of <i>C. rosea</i> to reduce soil Na⁺ concentrations, creating favourable conditions for microbial proliferation.&#xa0;Consecutive cultivation of <i>C. rosea</i> reduced Na⁺concentration by five-folds and improved soil characteristics in sugarcane plantation soils from Sikhwahlane, Mpumalanga. However, field studies are recommended to study the soil Na⁺/ sodicity reduction, microbial interactions and growth of <i>C. rosea</i> at irrigated sugarcane plantations. Pot size and irrigation protocols in controlled experiments may lead to pot binding, potentially influencing the response of <i>C. rosea</i> in sodic soils.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>