** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE MAIN GOAL OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO IMPROVE THE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF U.S. TOMATO FARMS THROUGH THE UTILIZATION OF NOVEL GENETIC DETERMINANTS THAT CONFER RESISTANCE TO VERTICILLIUM WILT INCITED BY NON-RACE 1 STRAINS (VDN) OF VERTICILLIUM DAHLIA. WITH NO PROPER FUMIGATION, THE PATHOGEN CAN LIVE FOR 20 YEARS OR MORE IN THE SOIL AND ROTATION IS NOT FEASIBLE FOR CONTROL OF THE DISEASE BECAUSE OTHER CROPS ARE ALSO HOSTS. WE PROPOSE THAT THE CRITICAL SOLUTION TO MITIGATE VW DAMAGE MAY BE HOST RESISTANCE AND THEREFORE THE MOST FEASIBLE AND ECONOMIC CONTROL IS THE USE OF VERTICILLIUM-TOLERANT TOMATO CULTIVARS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS RESISTANT CULTIVARS EFFECTIVE AGAINST RACE 1; HOWEVER, NO SOURCE OF RESISTANCE TO VDN STRAINS IS COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE. MULTIPLE ON-FARM TRIALS IN VERTICILLIUM-INFESTED GROWER FIELDS ENABLED US TO SUCCESSFULLY IDENTIFY NOVEL SOURCES OF VDN RESISTANCE. THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES EXPRESS A TWO-TIERED APPROACH TO ACHIEVE AND DELIVER THE PROPOSED OUTCOMES TO THE STAKEHOLDERS. 1) IDENTIFY AND FINE-MAP VDN RESISTANT LOCUS (LOCI) IN THREE NCSU TOMATO BREEDING LINES. 2) UTILIZE VDN RESISTANCE TO DEVELOP NEW TOMATO HYBRIDS STACKED WITH ADDITIONAL DISEASE RESISTANCES. THE ADDITION OF VDN RESISTANCE WILL BROADEN THE DISEASE-RESISTANT SPECTRUM OF THE ELITE NCSU TOMATO CULTIVARS MINIMIZING ECONOMIC RISK FOR GROWERS IN THE U.S. AND WORLDWIDE. IMPROVED CULTIVARS WILL BE SELECTED IN A FARMERS' PARTICIPATORY SELECTION PROCESS AND RELEASED FOR COMMERCIAL USE. FINDINGS FROM THIS RESEARCH WILL BE PUBLISHED IN RELEVANT JOURNALS AND MAY ALSO PROVIDE A GENETIC TOOL TO COMBAT VW IN OTHER ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT CROPS.