THIS SEED PROJECT AIMS TO IMPROVE AGRICULTURE SUSTAINABILITY AND AGRO-URBAN ECOSYSTEM HEALTH BY DEVELOPING AN INNOVATIVE PHOTOCHEMICAL TREATMENT FOR RECYCLED WASTEWATER IRRIGATION AND EVALUATING DOWNSTREAM RISK USING A GREENHOUSE TURFGRASS IRRIGATION RESEARCH TRIAL. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT WATER REUSE IN AGRICULTURE WILL INCREASE MULTIFOLD THE NEXT DECADE. PHOTOCHEMICAL TREATMENT IS AN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY FOR BENEFICIAL WATER REUSE IN AGRICULTURAL AND URBAN SETTINGS, AND TURFGRASS IS THE LARGEST IRRIGATED AGRICULTURAL "CROP" IN THE USA. NEW TECHNOLOGIES INTEGRATING THESE NOVEL CONCEPTS WILL ESTABLISH FEASIBILITY AND INFORM FUTURE IRRIGATION WATER TREATMENT. THIS PROJECT INVOLVES A COMBINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION EXPERTISE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE (UCR) - AN ACCREDITED HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTION (OPEID-00131600) AND THEREFORE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS STRENGTHENING/SEED GRANT. THIS TWO-YEAR PROJECT WILL ENHANCE THE PDS' CAPABILITY TO DEVELOP ROBUST WATER MANAGEMENT APPROACHES IN AGRICULTURE, AND CONCEIVE EXCITING NEW IDEAS ON SUSTAINABILITY. METHODS AND OUTCOMES OF THE RESEARCH WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO EDUCATIONAL MODULES FOR GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE COURSES AT UCR. EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND RESEARCH FINDINGS WILL ALSO BE DISSEMINATED THROUGH PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES AND PUBLICATIONS, AND THROUGH THE UC COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SYSTEM. THE PROJECT DIRECTLY ADDRESSES THE GOALS OF FOUNDATIONAL AND APPLIED SCIENCE PROGRAM AREA PRIORITIES RELATING TO WATER QUANTITY AND QUALITY, NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT.