** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE POSE SERIOUS CHALLENGES TO ENHANCING RICE PRODUCTIVITY WITH A REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT. THE PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF RICE FARMING SYSTEMS IN THE SOUTHERN U.S. USING INNOVATIVE CLIMATE-RESILIENT TECHNOLOGIES. THIS TRANS-DISCIPLINARY AND MULTI-STATE COORDINATED AGRICULTURAL PROJECT IS BASED ON THE HYPOTHESIS THAT SUSTAINABILITY AND PROFITABILITY OF RICE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS WILL BE ENHANCED BY THE DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION OF CLIMATE-SMART CROP PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES AND PRACTICES. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO: (1) ASSESS THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF CURRENT CROP MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND IDENTIFY BARRIERS TO ADOPTING NOVEL TECHNOLOGIES AND PRACTICES; (2) DEVELOP NOVEL GENOTYPES WITH ENHANCED TOLERANCE TO BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESSES; (3) DEVELOP AND OPTIMIZE ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY CROP MANAGEMENT PRACTICES; AND (4) IMPLEMENT A ROBUST EXTENSION PROGRAM TO DISSEMINATE THE CONCEPTS AND BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING TECHNOLOGY. OUR TEAM WILL APPLY A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO ACCOMPLISH THE ABOVE OBJECTIVES. THE PROJECT WILL ENABLE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SKILLED WORKFORCE WHO WILL CONTINUE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND FACILITATE DISSEMINATION OF THE GREEN TECHNOLOGIES. KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE SPEED AND ACCURACY OF IDENTIFYING RICE GENOTYPES WITH DESIRABLE COMBINATIONS OF GENES FOR IMPROVED ADAPTATION TO A CHANGING CLIMATE. THE SUSTAINABILITY AND PROFITABILITY OF RICE FARMING SYSTEMS WILL BE ENHANCED BY MINIMIZING THE USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES, MAXIMIZING PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY, AND IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. THE PROJECT WILL HELP GROWERS TO MAKE RIGHT DECISIONS AT THE RIGHT TIME TO REDUCE YIELD LOSSES, LAND USE, LABOR, AND ENERGY CONSUMPTION. THE PROPOSED EXTENSION AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES WILL EQUIP THE CURRENT AND NEXT GENERATION OF RICE FARMERS, CONSULTANTS, AND RESEARCHERS WITH THE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLSET TO EMBRACE THE NEW CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTION PRACTICES.