INSECT PESTS COST AMERICAN GROWERS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS EACH YEARIN CROP LOSSES AND CONTROL MEASURES. WHILE SYNTHETIC INSECTICIDES HAVE LONG BEEN USED TO CONTROL INSECT PESTS, CONCERNS OVER INSECTICIDE RISKS TO HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT HAVE INCREASED DEMAND FOR MORE SUSTAINABLEALTERNATIVES.IN THIS PROJECT, I WILL EVALUATE WHETHER A CHEMICALLY DIVERSE CLASS OF PLANT SPECIALIZED METABOLITES CALLED GLYCOSIDICALLY BOUND VOLATILES, OR GBVS, CAN BE UTILIZED TO IMPROVE MAIZE RESISTANCE TO THE INSECT HERBIVORE, FALL ARMYWORM. MY PRELIMINARY DATA SHOW THAT SIMULATED INSECT HERBIVORY INDUCES GBV PRODUCTION IN MAIZE, AND THAT CERTAIN GBVS CAN REDUCE FALL ARMYWORM PERFORMANCE WHILE ALSO ENHANCING MAIZEPLANTS'INNATE DEFENSES AGAINST HERBIVORE ATTACK. DURING THIS PROJECT, I WILL IDENTIFY GBVS THAT ARE PRODUCED BY MAIZE PLANTS IN RESPONSE TO FALL ARMYWORM HERBIVORY AND TEST WHETHER THESE COMPOUNDS NEGATIVELY AFFECT INSECT HERBIVORE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. I WILL THEN DETERMINE WHETHER BIOACTIVE GBVS CAN BE APPLIED AS A FOLIAR SPRAY TO INCREASE MAIZE RESISTANCE TO FALL ARMYWORM AND STIMULATE PLANT DEFENSES AGAINST INSECT HERBIVORY.THIS PROJECT ADDRESESS THE AFRI GOAL TO 'IMPROVE PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTS' BY PROVIDING FUNDAMENTAL INFORMATION CONCERNING HOW PLANTS DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST INSECT HERBIVORES, WHICH CAN BE USED TO DEVELOP NOVEL APPROACHES TO CONTROL INSECT PESTS AND INCREASE CROP YIELDS. RESULTS FROM THIS PROJECT WILL IMPROVE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF PLANT-HERBIVORE INTERACTIONS AND FACILITATE EFFORTS TO DEVELOP NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT DECREASE RELIANCE ON POTENTIALLY HARMFUL SYNTHETIC INSECTICIDES.