THIS PROJECT AIMS TO OPTIMIZE PRODUCTION OF ASTAXANTHIN AND RELATED KETOCAROTENOIDS IN THE OILSEED CROPS CAMELINA AND SOYBEAN. THESE COMPOUNDS ARE POTENT ANTIOXIDANTS THAT ARE USED COMMERCIALLY FOR SPECIALIZED FOOD PIGMENT APPLICATIONS, PRIMARILY AS AQUACULTURE FEED COMPONENTS TO CONFER THE RED, CONSUMER-DESIRED COLOR OF FARMED SALMON, TROUT, SHRIMP, CRAB, AND KRILL. DEPENDING ON ITS PURITY AND APPLICATION, ASTAXANTHIN RANGES IN PRICE FROM ~$2,000 TO $7,500 PER KG OR &GT;3500-TIMES THE PRICE OF CONVENTIONAL SOYBEAN OIL (~$0.55/KG) AND HAS A GROWING GLOBAL MARKET DRIVEN BY INCREASES IN DEMAND FOR AQUACULTURE-DERIVED PRODUCTS. THOUGH ASTAXANTHIN IS NOT NATURALLY PRODUCED BY CAMELINA AND SOYBEAN SEEDS, WE HAVE ENGINEERED ITS PRODUCTION BY EXPRESSION OF ASTAXANTHIN BIOSYNTHETIC GENES FROM ADONIS, A PLANT THAT NATURALLY PRODUCES HIGH ASTAXANTHIN LEVELS THE PROPOSED WORK BUILDS ON OUR ONGOING RESEARCH THAT USES A SPECIALIZED PLANT PATHWAY THAT HAS NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED AS A BIOTECHNOLOGICAL APPROACH AND HAS YIELDED UNPRECEDENTED PRODUCTION LEVELS AND PURITY OF ASTAXANTHIN IN ENGINEERED OILSEEDS. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL EXPLORE STRATEGIES TO FURTHER ENHANCE ASTAXANTHIN YIELDS IN CAMELINA AND SOYBEAN SEEDS AND GENERATE FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE OF ASTAXANTHIN METABOLISM TO MINIMIZE UNDESIRED EFFECTS OF THIS TRAIT ON SEED QUALITY AND AGRONOMIC FITNESS. CAMELINA AND SOYBEAN GERMPLASM GENERATED FROM THIS RESEARCH WILL PROVIDE A SUSTAINABLE SOURCE OF ASTAXANTHIN FOR AQUACULTURE PRODUCERS AND FOOD PROCESSORS AND EXPANDED MARKET OPPORTUNITIES FOR US OILSEED PRODUCERS. WE ENVISION THAT THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL ALSO PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR OPTIMIZED DEVELOPMENT AND STACKING OF ADDITIONAL HIGH-VALUE TRAITS TO ENHANCE FARMER PROFITABILITY AND RURAL ECONOMIC VITALITY.