OUR LONG-TERM PROJECT OUTCOME IS TO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AMONG CROP FARMERS BY ADOPTING NEW NITROGEN MANAGEMENT TOOLS THAT MAINTAIN OR INCREASE PROFITABILITY. WE PROPOSE TO CONDUCT MULTI-YEAR FIELD RESEARCH TO INTEGRATE CUTTING-EDGE HYPERSPECTRAL REMOTE SENSING TECHNOLOGY WITH PRECISION AGRICULTURE METHODS TO IMPROVE NITROGEN MANAGEMENT OF POTATO PRODUCTION SYSTEMS, THUS MITIGATING IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURE ON THE ENVIRONMENT, BECAUSE FARMERS NEED NEW TOOLS TO APPLY THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF NITROGEN AT THE RIGHT TIME TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM PROFITABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY. WE HAVE DEVELOPED THE FOLLOWING SHORT-TERM PROJECT OBJECTIVES: 1. CONDUCT PLOT-SCALE TRIALS WITH MULTIPLE VARIETIES, NITROGEN APPLICATION TIMINGS AND RATES TO MEASURE IN-SEASON AND END-OF-SEASON POTATO YIELD AND SIZE, ALSO TO COLLECT HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGERY; 2. USE HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGERY TO PREDICT REAL-TIME BELOWGROUND TUBER YIELD AND SIZE AT DIFFERENT GROWTH STAGES, AND IDENTIFY THE BEST TIME OF APPLYING REMOTE SENSING DURING THE FIELD SEASON; 3. DEVELOP DECISION SUPPORT MODELS TO PREDICT END-OF-SEASON POTATO YIELD, SIZE, AND PROFITABILITY; 4. VALIDATE MODELS BY CONDUCTING FIELD TRIALS ON COMMERCIAL POTATO FARMS; 5. CREATE AND DELIVER TRAINING MATERIALS ABOUT USING REMOTE SENSING IN POTATO N MANAGEMENT FOR FARMERS AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL PROFESSIONALS. WE HAVE ASSEMBLED AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM WITH EXPERTISE IN POTATO PRODUCTION, REMOTE SENSING, AND ECONOMICS. WE HAVE RECRUITED 3 COOPERATING POTATO FARMERS TO TEST OUR MODELS ON THEIR FARMS AND LEADERS OF 2 GROWERS' ASSOCIATIONS TO SERVE ON OUR ADIVISORY BOARD. THIS PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH A RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR OUR OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND HELP TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION.