**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 PRESENT PROJECT IS A RESEARCH-ONLY SEED GRANT APPLICATION TO THE PESTS AND BENEFICIAL SPECIES IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS OF THE AFRI FOUNDATIONAL AND APPLIED SCIENCE PROGRAM. TOXINS CAN AFFECT THE VIRULENCE OF SEVERAL PLANT DISEASES AND ELUCIDATING FACTORS AFFECTING TOXIN PRODUCTION CAN LEAD TO INNOVATIVE DISEASE MANAGEMENT TOOLS. THE PRESENT PROJECT FOCUSES ON CERCOSPORIN, A PERYLENEQUINONE TOXIN WITH MAJOR AGRICULTURAL IMPACT. IN CERCOSPORA LEAF BLIGHT (CLB) OF SOYBEAN, CERCOSPORIN IS CONSIDERED RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SEVERE BLIGHTING OF LEAVES AND CONSEQUENT YIELD LOSS. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS INTO HIGH AND LOW CERCOSPORIN PRODUCING ISOLATES OF CERCOSPORA CF. FLAGELLARIS HAS INDICATED THAT THESE ISOLATES DIFFER IN HYPHAL MORPHOLOGY, CERCOSPORIN CONTENT, AND CERCOSPORIN SEQUESTRATION. IN THE HIGH CERCOSPORIN PRODUCING ISOLATE, HYPHAE OF TWO DIFFERENT THICKNESS WERE OBSERVED WITH ACTIVE CERCOSPORIN SEQUESTERED WITHIN LIPID DROPLETS OF THIN HYPHAE. IN THE FIRST OBJECTIVE, WE USE CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY TO EXPLORE WHETHER THESE OBSERVATIONS ARE COMPARABLE IN THREE SPECIES OF CERCOSPORA INFECTING SOYBEAN, INCLUDING ONE NOT KNOWN TO PRODUCE CERCOSPORIN. IN THE SECOND OBJECTIVE, WE EXPLORE IF LIPID DROPLET MODIFYING CHEMICALS CAN ALTER CERCOSPORIN PRODUCTION, WITH THE POTENTIAL TRANSLATIONAL GOAL OF STUDYING LIPID DROPLET INHIBITORS AS NOVEL FUNGICIDE TARGETS. SINCE CERCOSPORIN IS NECESSARY FOR INFECTION OF MANY CERCOSPORA SPP., AND SEVERAL PLANT PATHOGENIC FUNGI PRODUCE PERYLENEQUINONE TOXINS, THE FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY WOULD BE RELEVANT TO MANY ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT DISEASES. THE STUDY WILL HELP DEVELOP COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS WITH NOVEL FUNDAMENTAL AND TRANSLATIONAL GOALS, INCREASING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF MY RESEARCH PROGRAM.