**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** PECTOBACTERIUM AND DICKEYA, TWO KEY GENERA, HAVE BEEN CITED AMONG THE TOP TEN BACTERIAL PLANT PATHOGENS LIMITING CROP YIELDS AND THREATENING GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY.SPECIES IN BOTH GENERA ARE GLOBALLY DISTRIBUTEDAND CAUSE CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE GLOBALLY.DETECTION OF BOTH COMMON AND EMERGING SPECIES IN PROPAGATIVE MATERIALS IS ESSENTIAL TO PLANT BIOSECURITY.THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES THE CRITICAL NEED TO ENHANCE OUR NATIONAL CROP BIOSECURITY CAPACITY BY DEVELOPING METHODS THAT CAN ACCURATELY DETECT, DIFFERENTIATE, AND TRACK ORIGINS OF DISTINCT SPECIES/STRAINS OF PECTOBACTERIUMANDDICKEYA THAT THREATEN THE POTATO AND VEGETABLE INDUSTRIES. THE METHOD INCLUDES BACTERIAL GENOME SEQUENCING, DEVELOPING GENOME DATABASEAND ANALYSES THAT CAN ACCURATELY DETECT AND DIFFERENTIATE THE PECTOBACTERIUMANDDICKEYASPECIES. THE DATABASE AND NEXTSTRAIN PIPELINE CAN BE USED FOR GLOBAL TRANSMISSION OFPECTOBACTERIUMANDDICKEYASPECIES. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TODEVELOP A ROBUST AND HIGHLY ACCURATE GENOME DATABASE AND PIPELINE FOR PLANT PATHOGENS TO SUPPORT FARMERS, SEED PRODUCERS, STAKEHOLDERS, AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.THIS PROJECT WILLSTRENGTHEN NATIONAL CROP BIOSECURITY.