PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS

The research of the Plant-Microbe Interactions group (PMI) aims to explore and exploit the plant’s natural immune system. We aim to understand how plant pathogens are able to infect plants and how resistant plants are able to defend themselves. We also investigate how beneficial microbes in the rhizosphere microbiome play a role in boosting the plant immune system and thereby stimulate plant health and growth. By investigating molecular and ecological aspects of plant innate immunity, infection, and rhizosphere biology, the PMI group aims to gain knowledge on how plants are able to cope with often hostile changes in their environment, and to utilize this knowledge for the development of novel strategies for (biological) crop protection. The research goals are being achieved by using the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana and several crop species in combination with state-of-the-art techniques and methods in phytopathology, microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, genomics and bioinformatics.

Website:  https://www.uu.nl/en/research/plant-microbe-interactions/research

Corné Pieterse, C.M.J.Pieterse@uu.nl.