** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** COTTON IS PRIMARILY GROWN AND HARVESTED FOR THE LINT, WHICH HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF COTTON RESEARCH AND BREEDING EFFORTS OVER MANY DECADES, LEAVING SEED TRAITS NEGLECTED. OUR SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM GOALS ARE TO LEVERAGE AN EXISTING, UNIQUE RIL POPULATION SEGREGATING FOR COTTONSEED OIL CONTENT, TO DELIVER: 1) A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE GENETIC ARCHITECTURE OF COTTONSEED OIL CONTENT IN IMPORTANT GERMPLASM (QTLS AND FUNCTIONAL ALLELES); 2) APPLIED APPROACHES TO TRACK AND PREDICT COTTONSEED OIL CONTENT IN UPLAND COTTON GERMPLASM AND BREEDING PIPELINES; 3) DELIVERY OF UNIQUE GERMPLASM WITH HIGH COTTONSEED OIL CONTENT AND GENETIC RESISTANCE TO THE #1 DISEASE THREAT TO UPLAND COTTON (FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM, VASINFECTUM RACE 4) TO STAKEHOLDERS. OUR LONG-TERM GOALS ARE TO IDENTIFY THE GENETIC BASIS OF COTTONSEED OIL CONTENT AND RELEASE NEW GERMPLASM AND DNA MARKERS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THIS TRAIT. OUR VISION IS TO DEVELOP A JOINT FIBER AND SEED COTTON PRODUCTION SYSTEM TO MAXIMIZE VALUE FROM BOTH PLANT COMPONENTS. THESE OUTCOMES WILL DIRECTLY BENEFIT BREEDERS, GROWERS, AND ALLIED SCIENTISTS THAT TRANSECT THE PUBLIC/PRIVATE/NON-PROFIT INDUSTRIES. IN THE LONGER TERM, THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A FOUNDATION THAT CAN LEAD TO THE PRODUCTION OF DESIGNER COTTONSEED WITH IMPROVED NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS AND ENHANCED FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES THAT WILL ADD MORE VALUE TO THIS BY-PRODUCT OF FIBER PRODUCTION. THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES THE AFRI CRITICAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION (CARE) PROGRAM. OUR PROJECT WILL DELIVER SOLUTIONS TO COTTON STAKEHOLDERS REQUESTS TO INCREASE THE VALUE OF THE CROP TO MAKE FARMING OPERATIONS MORE PROFITABLE, RESILIENT, AND SUSTAINABLE.