** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** AS THE WORLD POPULATION GROWS, AGRICULTURE FACES CHALLENGES IN INCREASING THE YIELD AND QUALITY OF CROPS. ONE OF THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES IS CROP DISEASES, WHICH CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO IMPORTANT CROPS AND LIMIT PRODUCTION. FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM IS A FUNGAL PATHOGEN THAT IS KNOWN TO CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO MANY CROPS, INCLUDING COTTON. RECENTLY, THERE HAS BEEN AN OUTBREAK OF COTTON FUSARIUM WILT CAUSED BY F. OXYSPORUM F. SP. VASINFECTUM (FOV) IN SOME SOUTHERN U.S. STATES. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE EVOLUTION AND PATHOGENICITY OF F. OXYSPORUM AND TO IDENTIFY RESISTANCE GENES THAT COULD HELP PROTECT CROPS. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN PLANT GENOMICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY FOR UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS, AS WELL AS OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES AND AFRICAN SCIENTISTS. BY USING CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGIES, THIS PROJECT WILL ADVANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF F. OXYSPORUM AND ITS INTERACTIONS WITH HOSTS,WHICH COULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO MORE EFFECTIVE DISEASE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND INCREASED CROP PRODUCTION.