**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE GOAL OF THIS 2-YEAR SEED PROJECT IS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE PROPOSED BIOMIMETIC LEAF-WETNESS SENSOR IS MORE PRECISE THAN COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE SENSORS BOTH IN THE LABORATORY (AS SUGGESTED BY OUR PRELIMINARY DATA) AND IN A SMALL-SCALE FIELD DEPLOYMENT.WITH THIS DATA, WE WILL BE WELL POSITIONED TO UNDERTAKE A LARGER SCALE PROJECT DURING WHICH WE WILL EXPLORE LARGER SCALE DEPLOYMENT AND CORROBORATEOUR HYPOTHESIS THAT THE MORE PRECISE LEAF WETNESS MEASUREMENTS PROVIDED BY OUR SENSOR ENABLE BETTER FUNGAL PATHOGEN MANAGEMENT AND MITIGATION.