The health of plants depends on their tight associations with soil microbiomes. There is growing interest in the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and symbiotic beneficial bacteria as natural biofertilizers and bioprotectors in integrated strategies for plant cultivation. Mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial bacteria are expected to reduce nutrient loss in soils, limiting the N release in the biosphere caused by chemical fertilization, so improving soil health and meeting demands for resilient agricultural production. Their use can also benefit the plant against phytopathogens.

Progress in the understanding of the genes and genetic mechanisms involved in plant-microbe interactions can open new perspectives for breeding wheat varieties for increased effects of these beneficial microbes. We are interested to characterize the molecular and physiological responses of wheat to colonisation arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and symbiotic beneficial bacteria.

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