The plant holobiont consists of a plant and associated microorganisms. In addition to being a functional unit in which the microbiota modifies the growth and development of the plant, and vice versa, the holobiont would also be an evolutionary selection unit. Because of this functional and evolutionary integration, many adaptations of holobionts to their environment rely on interactions between plants and microorganisms. The role of microorganisms in these adaptations is destined to take on increasing importance in a context of global change, due to the faster rate of adaptation in microorganisms than in plants. In addition, the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of plant-microorganism interactions can have consequences on essential ecosystem functions, such as primary production, nutrient cycling, soil structure, the fate of organic pollutants, etc.

The team has expertise on: (i) plants, in particular cultivated species and model species, (ii) different specific categories of microorganisms, such as mycorrhizal fungi, (iii) microbial communities in their diversity.

The team's work focuses on functions such as mineral nutrition, the transfer and biocontrol of plant pathogens, or plant immune response. These functions are studied on plants alone, or in interaction within plant communities. The team also works on the evolution of microorganisms associated with plants (in particular mycorrhizae), the rhizospheric core microbiota, the natural and artificial selection of microbial communities, the transfer of genetic elements and its consequences in terms of adaptation.

Many methods are used to address these scientific themes, from the culture of microorganisms (strains, synthetic or complex communities), molecular biology, bioinformatics, -omics approaches, and flow cytometry. Collections of microorganisms managed by team members (IBG, MIAE) which serve as biological resources in research projects and can be commercially valued. The members of the team regularly mobilize the INRAE ​​4PMI (high-throughput phenotyping) platforms, GENOSOL, and the soil platform of the Institut Agro.

The team also has expertise in ecological engineering, in particular on the production and monitoring of inoculants. This microbial ecological engineering approach for crops anchors in an approach which respects the integrity of ecosystems and the health of plants, animals and humans, reflected in the One Health approach.