**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 CHANGE AND ITS IMPACT ON AGRICULTURAL CROPS IS DRIVING THE EXPANSION OF CROPPING SYSTEMS TO PLANTS BETTER ADAPTED TO RISING TEMPERATURES, PROLONGED PERIODS OF DROUGHT, POOR SOILS, AND HIGH SALINITY. ONE OF SUCH CROPS IS QUINOA,CHENOPODIUM QUINOAWILLD (AMARANTHACEAE) - A TRADITIONALLY ANDEAN GRAIN CULTIVATED IN SOUTH AMERICA FOR OVER 5,000 YEARS.QUINOA IS A CLIMATE-RESILIENT CROP THAT CAN YIELD ADEQUATELY WITH MERE 10-15 INCHES OF IRRIGATION.ITS PRODUCTION IS RELATIVELY NEW TO THE U.S., AND IT WAS INTRODUCED TO SAN LUIS VALLEY IN SOUTHERN COLORADO SEVERAL DECADES AGO. OVER 3,000 ACRES OF QUINOA ARE RAISED IN COLORADO BY SMALL-ACREAGE FARMERS, AND QUINOA PRODUCTION HAS EXPANDED TO OTHER REGIONS SUCH AS IDAHOAND PACIFIC NORTHWEST.HOWEVER, A STEM-BORING INSECT HAS RECENTLY COLONIZED QUINOA IN COLORADO (AND NEIGHBORING STATES) - AN AGROMYZID FLY,AMAUROMYZA KARLIHENDEL (DIPTERA: AGROMYZIDAE). THESE INFESTATIONS WERE DISCOVERED IN 2021 IN 100% OF QUINOA FIELDS IN SAN LUIS VALLEY, CO,AND HAVE EITHER CAUSED SEVERE YIELD LOSSES OR DESTROYED THE CROP ENTIRELY.THIS EMERGING AND INVASIVE PEST OF QUINOA IS POSING AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO PRODUCTION OF THIS NICHE CROP IN COLORADO AND OTHER STATES (E.G., IDAHO AND OREGON), AND REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ACTION TO DEVELOP EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO SUPPRESS ITS DEVASTATING IMPACT ON QUINOA IN THE U.S. THE CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE GAPS WE NEED TO ADDRESS TO EFFECTIVELY SUPPRESS THIS HIGHLY DESTRUCTIVE PEST INCLUDE 1) ESTABLISHING ABUNDANCE PATTERNS OFA. KARLIIN THE FIELD THAT CAN INFORM PLANTING DATE MODIFICATIONS AND TIMING OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL CONTROL, 2)KNOWLEDGE OF WEEDS THAT CAN SERVE AS HOSTS TO THE FLY TO FORMULATE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WEED MANAGEMENT THAT CAN EFFECTIVELY LOWER THE RISK AND SEVERITY OF INFESTATIONS IN QUINOA;3) EVALUATING INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT TACTICS SUCH AS HOST PLANT RESISTANCE WITHIN EXISTING QUINOA VARIETIES, BIOLOGICAL CONTROL, AND SYSTEMIC INSECTICIDES; AND 4) ENSURING THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT ARE WIDELY SHARED WITH QUINOA PRODUCERS.THE LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO SUPPORT PROFITABLE QUINOA FARMING WHILE PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT AND FACILITATE INCREASED PRODUCTION OF THIS CLIMATE-RESILIENT CROP WELL-ADAPTED TO OUR INCREASINGLY HOTTER AND DRIER WEATHER PATTERNS.