Dr. Etienne Yergeau, professor at the INRS, has received a grant from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation to better understand the interactions between plants and micro-organisms found in the soil. "At their roots, plants exchange services with micro-organisms", explains the professor, " The composition of this community of fungi, bacteria and other microscopic creatures changes depending on external conditions, but we have very little understanding of the dynamics which control this. If we can decipher who does what and how, we could use these interactions to help plants stay healthy in difficult conditions". This research project is also financed by the ministry of Education and Teaching of Quebec.