THIS PROJECT WILL PRODUCE FOUNDATIONAL INFORMATION FOR DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING PRACTICAL COMMUNITY-BASED PEST RESISTANT MANAGEMENT IN ROW CROP PRODUCTION. THIS STUDY IS RESPONSIVE TO THE CRITICAL AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION AND AGRICULTURE ECONOMICS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES PROGRAM AREAS. THE INCREASING SPREAD OF PESTICIDE-RESISTANT WEEDS, INSECTS, AND PATHOGENS IS THREATENING LONG-TERM FARM PROFITABILITY. SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND BIOLOGICAL UNCERTAINTIES CREATE BARRIERS FOR ACTION, DESPITE PRIOR INVESTMENTS IN BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH AND EXTENSION SUPPORT. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL DOCUMENT PEST BIOLOGY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION OF COMMUNITY-BASED PEST RESISTANCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL WORK WITH FOUR UNIQUE IOWA COMMUNITIES ADDRESSING MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR RESISTANT WEEDS (E.G., WATERHEMP AND PALMER AMARANTH), WESTERN CORN ROOTWORM, AND SOYBEAN APHIDS. SOCIAL FACTORS INFLUENCING COMMUNITY BUILDING (E.G., COMMUNITY COHESIVENESS, STRUCTURE OF FARMING OPERATIONS) AND PERCEIVED ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ALTERNATIVE PEST MANAGEMENT DECISIONS WILL BE ASSESSED AS A FUNCTION OF PEST MOBILITY. WORKING THROUGH THE IPM CENTERS AND STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS, FINDINGS AND PRACTICAL GUIDANCE WILL BE SHARED WITH UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS, EXTENSION AGENTS, PRODUCERS, CROP CONSULTANTS, PESTICIDE TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS, AND LENDERS TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY-BASED EFFORTS ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL REGION AND THE NATION. PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES AND EXTENSION PUBLICATIONS WILL ALSO HELP INFORM FEDERAL POLICY MAKERS THAT ARE EXPLORING VOLUNTARY APPROACHES TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF RESISTANT PESTS. THE PROJECT'S FINDINGS WILL SUPPORT THE LONG-TERM VIABILITY OF SAFE AND EFFECTIVE PEST MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS A VITAL COMPONENT OF U.S. AGRICULTURE'S SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEMS.