**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CUCUMBER IS AN ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT VEGETABLE CROP IN THE US, AND A FAVORITE COMPONENT OF HEALTHY DIET FOR PEOPLE. KEY FLAVOR-RELATED AROMA COMPOUNDS FROM CUCUMBER ARE ALSO HIGHLY VALUABLE FOR INDUSTRY USE. CONSUMER DISSATISFACTION FOR CUCUMBER FRUIT IS HIGH DUE TO ITS POOR TASTE. MOLECULAR BREEDING IS PROVIDING EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE CUCUMBER FLAVOR AND DEVELOP VALUE-ADDED VARIETIES; HOWEVER, OUR KNOWLEDGE ON CUCUMBER FLAVOR IS LIMITED. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO UNDERSTAND THE GENETIC BASIS OF CUCUMBER FLAVOR AND DEVELOP VARIETIES WITH ENHANCED FLAVOR FOR FRESH CONSUMPTION AND INCREASED ACCUMULATION OF TARGET COMPOUNDS AS NATURAL INGREDIENTS FOR INDUSTRY USE. THIS PROJECT HAS FOUR OBJECTIVES: (1) INVESTIGATING VOLATILE COMPONENTS ASSOCIATED WITH CUCUMBER FLAVOR AND SENSORY PREFERENCES, (2) UNDERSTANDING GENETIC BASIS OF VARIATION OF FLAVOR-ENHANCING TRAITS THROUGH QTL MAPPING, (3) DEVELOPING GERMPLASM WITH ENHANCED FLAVOR, AND (4) EVALUATING THE POTENTIALOF CUCUMBER VOLATILES FOR USE IN INDUSTRY.TO FULFIL THESE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES, LABORATORY APPROACHES WILL INCLUDE: (1) USING SENSORY PANEL AND INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS TO INVESTIGATE SENSORY QUALITY AND CONSUMER PREFERENCE AND ASSOCIATED FLAVOR CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; (2) USING MOLECULAR BIOLOGY TECHNIQUES TO FIND GENES UNDERLYING FLAVOR VARIATION IN CUCUMBER; (3) USING MOLECULAR GENETIC TECHNIQUES TO DEVELOP GERMPLASM ENHANCED WITH KEY FLAVOR COMPOUNDS IN CUCUMBERS; AND (4) USING DISTILLATION TECHNIQUES TO DEVELOP VOLATILE EXTRACTS FROM FLAVOR-ENHANCED CUCUMBERS.EXPECTED OUTCOME FROM THIS RESEARCH INCLUDES (1) ESTABLISH THE RELATIONSHIP OF CONSUMER PREFERENCES WITH AROMA, TASTE, AND TEXTURE PROFILES; (2) UNDERSTAND THE GENETIC AND BIOCHEMICAL BASIS TO FLAVOR CHEMICAL ACCUMULATION IN CUCUMBER FRUIT; (3) DEVELOP NOVEL CUCUMBER GERMPLASM WITH ENHANCED FLAVOR; (4) DEVELOP METHODS FOR EXTRACTION OF KEY FLAVOR COMPOUNDS AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS; (5) ACADEMIA PRESENTATIONS ANDPEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS; AND (6) TRAINING OF GRADUATE STUDENTS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND PLANT GENETICS/BREEDING.THIS WORK WILL INCREASE KNOWLEDGE ON THE GENETICS OF CUCUMBER FLAVOR, CONSEQUENTLY INCREASING CUCUMBER FRESH CONSUMPTION MARKET AND PROFIT FOR INDUSTRY. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT WILL DELIVER CUCUMBER GERMPLASM WITH IMPROVED FLAVOR OR INCREASED VALUABLE NATURAL CHEMICALS FOR INDUSTRY USE. THE INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM MEMBERS ARE WELL PREPARED FOR THIS COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH.