A HIGHLY VIRULENT STRAIN OF FUSARIUM WILT OF COTTON CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL LOSSES IN CALIFORNIA COTTON PRODUCTION. THE STRAIN WAS THEN DETECTED IN 2017 IN A PIMA COTTON FIELD EAST OF EL PASO, TEXAS. THE OVERAL GOAL IS TO UNDERSTAND THE FUNGAL INFECTION PROCESS AND PROVIDE ESSENTIAL GENOMIC RESOURCES TO COTTON RESEARCHERS/BREEDERS.