** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** IN AN ERA OF RAPID POPULATION GROWTH, INCREASING FERTILIZER PRICES AND LIMITED WATER FOR AGRICULTURE, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO MAXIMIZE THE EFFICIENCY OF FOOD PRODUCTION PER UNIT INPUT OR ACRE. TRITICALE YIELDS ARE ON AVERAGE 11% HIGHER THAN WHEAT (20% UNDER NITROGEN STRESS) AND TRITICALE VARIETIES ARE CURRENTLY GROWN ON OVER 2 MILLION ACRES IN THE US AND OVER 10 MILLION ACRES GLOBALLY. HOWEVER, INSUFFICIENT BREADMAKING QUALITY HAS LIMITED TRITICALE USE TO FORAGE AND FEED APPLICATIONS. IN THIS PROJECT, WE PROPOSE TO IMPROVE TRITICALE BREADMAKING QUALITY WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF UNLOCKING THE USE OF THIS HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE CROP FOR DIRECT HUMAN FOOD CONSUMPTION. WE HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED LINES CARRYING DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF FIVE GENES FROM WHEAT KNOWN TO HAVE FAVORABLE EFFECTS ON BREADMAKING QUALITY. THESE LINES ARE CURRENTLY BEING TESTED BY ARTISAN MILLERS AND BAKERS. OUR FIRST OBJECTIVE IS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF THESE INTROGRESSED LOCI ON BREADMAKING QUALITY AND GRAIN YIELD. OUR SECOND AND THIRD OBJECTIVES ARE TO IDENTIFY CHROMOSOME REGION RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXCEPTIONAL LOAF VOLUME PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED IN TWO UKRAINIAN TRITICALE LINES, VALIDATE THEM, AND DEPLOY THEM IN EXISTING BREEDING POPULATIONS ACROSS THE US AND CIMMYT. FINALLY, WE PROPOSE TO COMBINE THESE NEW CHROMOSOME REGIONS WITH FAVORABLE EFFECTS ON BREADMAKING QUALITY WITH THE FIVE KNOWN POSITIVE WHEAT QUALITY LOCI WE PREVIOUSLY INTROGRESSED INTO TRITICALE LINES. THIS WORK WILL BE CONDUCTED BY A COLLABORATIVE TRITICALE NETWORK INCLUDING CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, COLORADO, NEBRASKA, MARYLAND AND CIMMYT. MARYLAND WILL INCORPORATE GENES FOR TOLERANCE TO FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT TO EXPAND THE AREAS WHERE THESE VARIETIES CAN BE GROWN, WHEREAS CIMMYT WILL PROVIDE ACCESS TO A GLOBAL NETWORK OF TRITICALE BREEDING PROGRAMS. THE FINAL OBJECTIVE OF THIS COLLABORATIVE NETWORK IS TO ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE TRITICALES WITH EXCELLENT BREADMAKING QUALITY THAT CAN BE COMMERCIALIZE IN MULTIPLE REGIONSOF THE US AND THE WORLD.