**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 CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER DOWNSTREAM IMPACTS OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES CONTINUE TO CAUSE INCREASED DROUGHT AND TEMPERATURE STRESS, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO FIND NEW WAYS TO ENSURE FOOD SECURITY. ONE INNOVATIVE APPROACH IS TO STUDY HOW FERAL CROPS - PLANTS THAT HAVE ESCAPED FROM CULTIVATION AND SUCCESSFULLY ESTABLISHED - RESPOND TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND COMPARE THEIR GENETIC MAKEUP TO CULTIVATED CROPS. THIS INFORMATION CAN HELP IDENTIFY POPULATIONS OF FERAL CROPS THAT CAN BE SAMPLED AND USED TO SUPPLEMENT EXISTING GERMPLASM COLLECTIONS AS WELL AS TO IDENTIFY USEFUL CANDIDATE GENES FOR FUTURE FOOD PRODUCTION. FERAL POPULATIONS MAY HAVE UNIQUE ADAPTATIONS TO VARIOUS CLIMATIC CHALLENGES, SUCH AS HEAT STRESS OR SOIL SALINITY, THAT CAN BENEFIT FOOD PRODUCTION. THIS PROJECT PROPOSES TO USE HERBARIUM COLLECTIONS TO INFORM AND IMPROVE FUTURE FOOD SECURITY BY IDENTIFYING FERAL CROP POPULATIONS FOR GERMPLASM COLLECTION AND CONSERVATION WITHIN THE NATIONAL PLANT GERMPLASM SYSTEM. THIS APPROACH WILL HIGHLIGHT THE POTENTIAL OF HERBARIA AS A VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR BOTH PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY AND IMPROVING CROPS IN NOVEL WAYS. BY IDENTIFYING AND CONSERVING FERAL POPULATIONS OF CROPS, WE CAN TAP INTO UNTAPPED GENETIC DIVERSITY AND ENSURE FOOD SECURITY IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.