BENEFICIAL PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS

The Group’s research mainly focuses on the study of the Rhizobium-legume and the ectomycorrhizal symbioses. The physiological, biochemical and molecular aspects that regulate biological nitrogen fixation in legumes are investigated, taking into account the structure-function of the nodule and the interaction between symbionts. We analyse the mechanisms of response to drought, salinity and heavy metals, and work on the production of legumes and microorganisms with improved tolerance to abiotic stresses. The diversity of fungal functional groups (ectomycorrhizal, saprotrophs) in forest ecosystems and their role in key soil processes such as carbon and nutrient cycling and plant interaction networks are studied. The structural-functional response of fungal communities to global change (drought, temperature, fires) is investigated. We work on the selection of rhizospheric microorganisms for the formulation of inoculants and their application in the recovery of degraded soils.