**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS CONIFER PRODUCTION FOR NURSERY AND CHRISTMAS TREE GROWERS, AN INDUSTRY VALUED AT $945 MILLION NATIONALLY, WITH THE GOAL OF INCREASING SEEDLING ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS WHILE IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE VARIABILITY OF THESE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS.WEEDS AND SOILBORNE DISEASES ARE THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT PESTS LIMITING SURVIVAL OF CONIFER SEEDLINGS DURING THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF ESTABLISHMENT. WE WILL INTEGRATE ALTERNATIVE WEED MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES (CULTIVATION, MOWING, MULCHING) WITH BIOPESTICIDES APPLIED AT PLANTING TO CONTROL ROOT ROT DISEASES, AND QUANTIFY THE EFFECTS ON WEED DENSITY AND SEEDBANK; SOIL HEALTH; AND CONIFER SEEDLING GROWTH, SURVIVAL, AND ROOT HEALTH; AS WELL AS COSTS (BOTH MATERIALS AND LABOR) TO IMPLEMENT THEM. A GROWER ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL BE INSTRUMENTAL IN ENSURING THE RESEARCH IS RELEVANT AND THE METHODS OF EXTENSION APPROPRIATE.THROUGH THE USE OF ENGAGED LEARNING PRACTICES, DEMONSTRATION, AND ELECTRONIC RESOURCES, WE WILL SHARE RESULTS WITH CONIFER GROWERS; USING THE DATA TO EMPOWER THEM TO ADOPT THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THAT ARE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR FARMS. RESEARCH DATA ON THE EFFICACY OF SUSTAINABLE CONIFER WEED AND SOILBORNE DISEASE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND EXTENSION EFFORTS TO TRANSLATE THESE DATA INTO ON-FARM ADOPTION WILL LEAD TO IMPROVED ESTABLISHMENT OF CONIFER SEEDLINGS AND THEREFORE IMPROVED PROFITABILITY FOR FARMS.