THE PHASEOUT OF METHYL-BROMIDE LEFT MANY AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS VULNERABLE TO SOILBORNE PESTS. REGIONAL PEST MANAGEMENT STRATEGIC PLANS, GROWER ASSOCIATION PRIORITIES, AND EXTENSION/RESEARCH-BASED INTERACTIONS WITH GROWERS AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS IDENTIFY MAJOR GAPS IN EFFICACIOUS MANAGEMENT OF TOMATO DISEASES (VERTICILLIUM WILT AND BACTERIAL WILT), CAUSED BY SOILBORNE PATHOGENS, AND SECURING OPTIMUM YIELDS. ADDRESSING THESE THREATS REQUIRES INTEGRATED MULTIFACETED AND SYSTEMS-BASED APPROACHES, AS ARTICULATED IN THE MBT RFA. THIS PROPOSAL PARTNERS WITH GROWERS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS TO DEVISE INTEGRATED AND BIOLOGICALLY-BASED SYSTEMS COMPARED TO STANDARD OR OPTIMIZED FUMIGATION SYSTEMS; SEEKS TO RESTORE TIRED SOILS, AND REDUCE HIGH PATHOGEN INOCULUM PRESSURE BY RESEARCHING HOW GROWER INPUTS, PLANT GENETICS, AND MICROBIOMES ARE INTERCONNECTED. WE SEEK TO INTEGRATE ANAEROBIC SOIL DISINFESTATION (ASD) INTO CURRENT PRODUCTION SYSTEMS TO SUPPRESS SOILBORNE PATHOGENS (AND WEEDS) AND ENHANCE CARBON INPUTS IN SOILS, AND YIELDS. THE PROPOSAL ALSO HYPOTHESIZES THAT AFTER ASD, RESTORING/MAINTAINING BENEFICIAL MICROORGANISMS AND REDUCING PATHOGEN INOCULUM CAN BE ACHIEVED BY PLANTING TOMATO HYBRIDS, OR CAPTURING THIS BENEFICIAL FUNCTION, USING NOVEL NCSU/COMMERCIAL GENETICS SECURED IN ROOTSTOCKS VIA GRAFTED PLANTS. SOIL HEALTH WILL BE ASSESSED BY MEASURING CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SOIL PARAMETERS, MICROBIOME DIVERSITY, DISEASE SEVERITY, AND YIELD IMPACTS. THE PROJECT WILL SECURE COMPREHENSIVE DATA SETS ON THE INFLUENCE OF TOMATO ROOTSTOCKS PLANTED IN ASD TREATED SOILS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE RHIZOSPHERE MICROBIOMES TOWARD CONCEIVABLE FUTURE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. INTEGRATED OBJECTIVES WILL ALSO PURSUE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND EXTENSION PROGRAMMING TO ENGAGE WITH GROWERS AND OTHER PARTNERS TO ADVANCE ECONOMICALLY AND TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE ALTERNATIVES THAT COMPLIMENTS SOLE RELIANCE ON FUMIGANTS.