**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** IN THE UNITED STATES, PLANTS ARE SUBJECT TO ATTACK FROM OVER 50,000 DIFFERENT PARASITES AND PATHOGENS. AMONG THEM ARE PLANT-PARASITIC NEMATODES (PPNS), WHICH CAUSE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CROP LOSSES ANNUALLY AND THREATEN FOOD SECURITY. AT PRESENT, MANAGEMENT OF PPNS RELIES HEAVILY ON THE USE OF SYNTHETIC NEMATICIDES. HOWEVER, THE DELETERIOUS EFFECTS OF THESE CHEMICALS ON WILDLIFE, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND HUMAN HEALTH, AND CONCERN REGARDING NEMATICIDE RESISTANCE, ARE WELL-DOCUMENTED. MOREOVER, THE RESTRICTION OF NEMATICIDES AND REMOVAL FROM THE PEST-CONTROL MARKET SEVERELY LIMIT THE AVAILABLE CHEMICAL TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR AGRICULTURAL CROPS. THESE CONSIDERATIONS HIGHLIGHT AN URGENT NEED TO DISCOVER AND DEVELOP NEW, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY METHODS FOR THE COST-EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF PPNS IN AGRICULTURE.A PROMISING APPROACH TO DEVELOP SUCH METHODS IS TO STUDY MICROORGANISMS THAT ANTAGONIZE PPNS BY PRODUCING BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE NATURAL PRODUCTS (I.E. SECONDARY METABOLITES). 'INSECT-KILLING' BACTERIA ARE CONSIDERED A RICH SOURCE OF BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE METABOLITES WITH VALUABLE ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTIFUNGAL, INSECTICIDAL, AND NEMATICIDAL ACTIVITIES. LIMITED RESEARCH HAS BEEN CONDUCTED TO TEST THE EFFICACY OF INSECT-ATTACKING BACTERIA-PRODUCED METABOLITES AGAINST ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT PPNS. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL ASSESS NEMATODE-KILLING METABOLITES DERIVED FROM ARIZONA-NATIVE INSECT-KILLING BACTERIA SPECIES AS A BIO-RATIONAL STRATEGY TO CONTROL THE ROOT-KNOT NEMATODE, MELOIDOGYNE INCOGNITA, A PEST OFALMOST ALLMAJORCROPS IN THE U.S. SPECIFICALLY, THIS RESEARCH WILL FOCUS ON PERSISTENCE AND/OR DEGRADATION OF THE METABOLITES IN THE SOIL, TESTING DIFFERENT METABOLITE APPLICATION METHODS, AND STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE NEMATODE RESISTANCE. THIS RESEARCH WILL ALSO CONSIDER PLANT/CROP HEALTH, PLANT DISEASE SEVERITY, AND ANALYSES TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF THE METABOLITES ON PLANTS/CROPS IN ORDER TO CHARACTERIZE THE METABOLITES' EFFICACY AND FEASIBILITY. THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO EXPAND THE APPLICATION OF SECONDARY METABOLITES AS BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS TO BENEFIT GROWERS BY OFFERING ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE AND BIODEGRADABLE BIO-NEMATICIDES AS ALTERNATIVES TO CHEMICAL NEMATICIDES. THIS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL SECURITY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, WHILE SAFEGUARDING THE ENVIRONMENT AND ITS ECOSYSTEMS.