**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** DIETS HIGH IN FIBER HELP PROTECT AGAINST OBESITY-RELATED HEALTH CONDITIONS. MOST CONSUMERS PREFER NON-WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT PRODUCTS, THEREFORE TESTING OF HEALTH ENHANCED ALTERNATIVES WITH ENHANCED PRODUCT QUALITY AND INCREASED DIETARY FIBER IS WORTHWHILE. ONE WAY TO ACHIEVE A HEALTHIER CEREAL PRODUCT IS TO BEGIN WITH HIGH DIETARY FIBER GRAIN. THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED BY INCREASING THE TYPE OF STARCH PRODUCED IN WHEAT SEEDS. NORMAL WHEAT SEED STARCH IS ~75% AMYLOPECTIN AND ~25% AMYLOSE. AMYLOSE IS LESS READILY DIGESTIBLE THAN AMYLOPECTIN AND SEEDS HIGH IN AMYLOSE OFTEN HAVE INCREASED DIETARY FIBER. INCREASING AMYLOSE CONTENT REQUIRES REDUCING OR KNOCKING OUT THE FUNCTION OF ONE OR MORE STARCH SYNTHASES THAT ACT TO CREATE AMYLOPECTIN. WHILE LARGE INCREASES IN AMYLOSE CONTENT CAN INCREASE DIETARY FIBER IT MAY ALSO LEAD TO LARGE REDUCTIONS IN SEED SIZE AND MILLING YIELD.THEREFORE, THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE PASTA QUALITY WHILE MAINTAINING SEED SIZE AND YIELD. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, WE WILL TEST THE IMPACT OF INDIVIDUAL STARCH SYNTHASEMUTATIONS AND ALLELIC COMBINATIONS UPON DURUM AGRONOMIC YIELD, AMYLOSE, DIETARY FIBER, RESISTANT STARCH, PASTA QUALITY, AND CONSUMER PREFERENCE. WE WILL ALSO IDENTIFY GENE EXPRESSION AND SPECIFIC STARCH SYNTHASEACTIVITY LEVELS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN SEED SIZE WHILE INCREASING DIETARY FIBER AND PASTA FIRMNESS. THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN GENETIC MATERIAL AVAILABLE FOR USE IN DURUM BREEDING PROGRAMS. HIGH-RESISTANT STARCH DURUM WOULD GREATLY LOWER FOOD PROCESSING COSTS AND INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF HEALTHY, CONSUMER ACCEPTED WHEAT-BASED PRODUCTS.