THE PLANT IMMUNE SYSTEM RECOGNIZES PATHOGENS "EARLY" IN THE INFECTION PROCESS, ACTIVATING RESPONSES CAPABLE OF ARRESTING THEM BEFORE COLONIZATION AND ESTABLISHMENT. PATHOGENS THAT SURVIVE THIS FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE ENCOUNTER A SECOND LINE OF DEFENSE THAT RESULTS IN A HIGHER AMPLITUDE PROGRAMMED CELL DEATH RESPONSE THAT SEQUESTERS SOME PATHOGENS IN FOCI OF DEAD CELLS. HOWEVER, THE NECROTROPHIC PATHOGENS THAT ACQUIRE NUTRIENTS FROM DEAD TISSUE HIJACK, THIS DEFENSE RESPONSE AND UTILIZE IT TO FURTHER DISEASE PROLIFERATION, TRANSLATING TO CROP FAILURE. THE PROJECT WILL FILL KNOWLEDGE GAPS OF HOW PLANTS PERCEIVE THIS IMPORTANT CLASS OF PATHOGENS AND HOW IMMUNITY RESPONSES RESULT IN DISEASE RESISTANCE CONTRIBUTING TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF PLANT IMMUNITY RESPONSES EFFECTIVE AT STOPPING THE NECROTROPHIC PATHOGENS WHICH ARE BECOMING WELL KNOWN FOR THEIR ROLES IN CAUSING DISEASE ON IMPORTANT CROPS AND ARE SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTING TO WORLD FOOD SECURITY ISSUES. THE INFORMATION GENERATED WILL TRANSECT MULTIPLE PATHOSYSTEMS IMPORTANT TO CROP PRODUCTION THROUGH CHARACTERIZING AND DEFINING THE MECHANISM THAT REGULATES HOST SIGNALING AND IMMUNITY AGAINST DIVERSE PATHOGENS. THE MOLECULAR GENETIC AND GENOMIC DATA GENERATED AND MOLECULAR TOOLS DEVELOPED, WILL BROADLY BENEFIT THE PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY AND ANSWER FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS TO FACILITATE THE DEPLOYMENT OF GENETIC RESISTANCE IN CROPS, CONTRIBUTING TO FOOD SECURITY. THE RESEARCH WILL TRAIN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS IN MOLECULAR GENETICS AND MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY FROM BOTH THE HOST AND PATHOGEN PERSPECTIVE INCLUDING OUTREACH TO EDUCATE YOUNG NATIVE AMERICAN SCIENTISTS AS A TOOL TO BROADEN THE PARTICIPATION OF THE MOST UNDER REPRESENTED GROUP IN THE STEM FIELDS