SORGHUM, ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST IMPORTANT MONOCOT CROPS, SUFFERS SEVERE YIELD LOSSES DUE TO ATTACK BY CHEWING INSECT HERBIVORES. HOWEVER, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE EXTENT OF GENETIC VARIATION THAT CONTRIBUTES TO SORGHUM RESISTANCE OR SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CHEWING HERBIVORES SUCH AS THE FALL ARMYWORM (FAW; SPODOPTERA FRUGIPERDA). WHILE FEEDING ON THE HOST PLANTS, INSECTS SECRETE FEEDING CUES, WHICH ARE ACCURATELY AND RAPIDLY RECOGNIZED BY PLANTS TO MOBILIZE SUCCESSFUL DEFENSES. THIS RESEARCH WILL FILL AN IMPORTANT GAP IN CURRENT RESEARCH BY UTILIZING GENOMIC RESOURCES TO GAIN INSIGHT INTO THE UNDERLYING GENETIC NETWORKS AND PHENOTYPIC TRAITS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO SORGHUM RESISTANCE TO FAW AND UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISMS BY WHICH FAW MANIPULATE THE SORGHUM DEFENSES.