The world population is growing constantly and hence also the demand for food, fiber and energy, which are produced by crop plants. Plant growth and yield is maximized by the extensive application of chemical fertilizers with severe implications for human, animal and environmental health. However, there is an alternative that depletes the extensive use of synthetic fertilizers. In our group, we are eager to understand this fascinating mutual interplay between plant roots and beneficial microbes. We seek to illuminate the early signaling events that initiate coordinated and reciprocal cellular reprogramming and finally result in the development of a fully functional and compatible symbiosis. Our ultimate goal is to use basic research to contribute to a future-oriented environmentally compatible agriculture.