BENEFICIAL MICROBES ARE KNOWN TO ASSOCIATE WITH PLANTS AS ENDOPHYTES, SYMBIONTS OR JUST CLOSELY LOCATED NEXT TO THE PLANT IN THE RHIZOSPHERE. THESE RELATIONSHIPS PROVIDE FAVORABLE EFFECTS ON PLANT GROWTH AND HEALTH UNDER STRESSED ENVIRONMENT CONDITIONS AND PROTECTION AGAINST PATHOGENS. MANY OF THESE MICROBES ARE GENETICALLY INTRACTABLE AND DIFFICULT TO STUDY. NITROGEN FIXATION BY ACTINORHIZAL AND LEGUMINOUS PLANTS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE NITROGEN BUDGET OF THE PLANET. ACTINORHIZAL PLANTS PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT MECHANISM TO RESTORE DISRUPTED ENVIRONMENTAL SITES. A MAJOR HINDRANCE IN THE APPLICATION OF THESE ASSOCIATION IS THE LACK OF GENETIC TOOLS FOR THE BENEFICIAL MICROBES ASSOCIATED WITH PLANTS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF GENE EDITING TOOLS THAT WILL ALLOW THE GENETIC ANALYSIS OF PLANT-ASSOCIATED MICROBES AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH THEIR HOST PLANTS. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF GENE EDITING TECHNOLOGY IS A MAJOR STEP IN MANIPULATING THESE IMPORTANT BENEFICIAL PLANT-ASSOCIATED MICROBES AND PROVIDE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS INCLUDING A VARIETY OF AGRICULTURAL CROPS.