PHYSARIA FENDLERI IS AN EMERGING OILSEED SPECIES WITH GREAT POTENTIAL FOR PROVIDING INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS DUE TO ITS ACCUMULATION OF HYDROXY FATTY ACIDS (HFAS). THE HYDROXY FUNCTIONAL GROUP PRESENT IN THESE HFAS ALLOWSFOR EFFICIENT ESTERIFICATION, YIELDING A SUPERIOR ESTOLIDE FOR BIODIESEL APPLICATIONS. FURTHERMORE, THESE OILS POSSESS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR MATERIALS SUCHAS DETERGENTS, PLASTICS, POLYMERS, AND DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS. P. FENDLERI IS A FAVORABLE OILSEED CROP DUE TO ITS TOLERANCE OF ARID CLIMATES AND GROWTH AS A NON-COMPETING WINTER ANNUAL. IMPROVING OIL PRODUCTION IS HOWEVER OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO RENDER THIS CROP A MAJOR ASSET. THE USE OF CHEMICAL REGULATORS TO IDENTIFY TARGETS OF METABOLIC ENGINEERING THAT IMPROVE HFA PRODUCTION OFFERS A LOGISTICAL ADVANTAGE OVER THE TIME-CONSUMING PROCESSES OF GENETIC TRANSFORMATION AND MUTANT GENERATION WHICH ARE FREQUENTLY USED FOR METABOLIC RESEARCH. THE FIRST OBJECTIVE OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO CONDUCT METABOLOMICS ANALYSIS ON P. FENDLERI EMBRYOS CULTURED WITH TWO IDENTIFIED CHEMICAL REGULATORS OF FATTY ACID METABOLISM. THE SECOND OBJECTIVE OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO GENERATE A METABOLIC FLUX MAP OF EMBRYOS TREATED WITH THESE REGULATORY COMPOUNDS IN ORDER TO DETERMINE HOW METABOLIC RATES AND CARBON FLOW CAN BE MANIPULATED TO IMPROVE HFA PRODUCTION IN THIS SPECIES AND INCREASE ITS COMMERCIAL VIABILITY. WITH PROPERTIES THAT COULD REPLACE IMPORTED CASTOR OIL, RESEARCH ON THE CROP IN DISCUSSION IS SITUATED DIRECTLY IN THE SCOPE OF THE USDA-AFRI EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GOALS.