WHEAT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTORS OF THE TOXIC ELEMENT CADMIUM (CD) TO THE HUMAN DIET, AND INITIAL EFFORTS AND REGULATIONS TO REDUCE CD INTAKE FOCUS ON REDUCTION OF CD IN BABY FOOD. THUS, BABY FOOD MANUFACTURERS NEED A SOURCE OF LOW CD WHEAT. THE BEST WAY TO MEET THIS DEMAND IS TO COMBINE SELECTIVE PLANT BREEDING, PLANTING IN OPTIMUM SOILS, AND AGRICULTURE MANAGEMENT. IN THIS PROJECT WE WILL INTEGRATE RESEARCH ON WHEAT GENETIC VARIATION WITH RESEARCH ON SOIL PROPERTIES.PRELIMINARY RESULTS SHOWED THAT WHEAT VARIETIES THAT PRODUCE LOW CD GRAIN WHEN GROWN ON SOME SOILS DO NOT PRODUCE LOW GRAIN CD ON OTHER SOILS. IN THIS PROPOSAL, WE WILL FIRST MEASURE HOW SOIL PROPERTIES AFFECT GRAIN CD IN MULTIPLE WHEAT CULTIVARS, AND THEN USE THE RESULTS TO DEVELOP A PREDICTIVE MODEL FOR GRAIN CD AS A FUNCTION OF SOIL PROPERTIES AND WHEAT VARIETY.UPON COMPLETION OF THIS SEED GRANT RESEARCH, WE WILL HAVE PROOF OF CONCEPT THAT SOIL PROPERTIES AND PLANT BREEDING CAN BE USED TOGETHER TO DEVELOP A SUPPLY OF LOW CD WHEAT. SOIL PROPERTIES THAT ARE FOUND TO BE SIGNIFICANT PREDICTORS OF GRAIN CD WILL BE USED TO GUIDE FUTURE RESEARCH TO ADVANCE WHEAT VARIETIES THAT ARE RESPONSIVE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS FOR PRODUCTION OF LOW CD WHEAT. IN ADDITION, RESULTS WILL BE USED TO DEVELOP INTEGRATED RESEARCH PROPOSALS FOR TESTING HOW AGRONOMIC MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AFFECT CD UPTAKE AND HELP GROWERS PRODUCE ENOUGH LOW CD WHEAT TO MEET FOOD MANUFACTURING DEMANDS.?