**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** LOSSES DURING HARVEST AND PORT-HARVEST CAN BE SIGNIFICANT IN TROPICAL FRUITS. WE PROPOSE TO INVESTIGATE THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN FRUIT QUALITY AND THEIR DETERMINATES AND POST-HARVEST STRESSORS AND LOSSES USING BREADFRUIT AS A STUDY SYSTEM. BREADFRUIT IS A TROPICAL TREE THAT PRODUCES LARGE, CARBOHYDRATE-RICH FRUITS AND SERVES AS A PACIFIC STAPLE. ITS POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND HUMAN NUTRITION IS RECOGNIZED AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, YET REMAINS STYMIED DUE TO SEVERE LACK OF RESEARCH AND INVESTMENT. IN THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, SEVERAL EXPERIMENTAL PLANTINGS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN HAWAI'I THAT REPRESENT AMONG THE FIRST AGRONOMIC TRIALS OF BREADFRUIT - A STATEWIDE VARIETY TRIAL, A NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY TRIAL, A FERTILIZATION TRIAL, AND A PLANTING DENSITY TRIAL. THE PROPOSED PROJECT LEVERAGES AND BUILDS UPON THESE TEST PLANTINGS TO GENERATE CRUCIAL KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN INFORM BREADFRUIT, OTHER ARTOCARPUS SPECIES (JACKFRUIT, MARANG, ETC.), AND STARCHY FRUIT PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING IN THE TROPICS AND SUB-TROPICS. SPECIFICALLY, WE EXPLORE THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN VARIETY, NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT, AND SOLAR RADIATION, AND ASK (1) HOW DO THOSE INTERACTIONS IMPACT FRUIT QUALITY AND QUANTITY; (2) HOW DOES FRUIT QUALITY IMPACT THE POST-HARVEST PROCESSES; AND (3) HOW DOES NUTRIENT AND PRUNING MANAGEMENT IMPACT THE PROFITABILITY OF BREADFRUIT SUPPLY CHAINS. RESULTS WILL BE USED TO PRODUCE PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS, CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, AND OUTREACH MATERIALS, AS WELL AS REFINE EXISTING MODELS AND PRODUCE NOVEL FARM-LEVEL MODELS OF YIELDS, QUALITY AND PROFITABILITY BASED ON ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND ORCHARD MANAGEMENT.