** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CASSAVA (MANIHOT ESCULENTA) IS A STARCHY ROOT CROP IMPORTANT FOR THE FOOD SECURITY OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN TROPICAL REGIONS AROUND THE WORLD. POPULATIONS THAT RELY HEAVILY ON CASSAVA FOR THEIR CALORIC INTAKE OFTEN STRUGGLE WITH HIGH RATES OF VITAMIN DEFICIENCIES, PARTICULARLY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, WHERE NEARLY HALF OF ALL YOUNG CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED BY VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY, WHICH CANCAUSEBLINDNESS, STUNTING, AND DEATH. PLANT BREEDERS HAVE WORKED TO DEVELOP CASSAVA VARIETIES WITH INCREASED PROVITAMIN A CONTENT TO HELP ADDRESSTHIS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. HOWEVER, THESEEFFORTS HAVEBEEN HINDERED BY AN UNDESIRABLE TRADE-OFF BETWEEN PROVITAMIN A CONTENT AND STARCH, WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR YIELD AND CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE. THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN OVERCOME THIS TRADE-OFF BY PROVIDING INSIGHT INTO THE REGULATION OF PROVITAMIN A METABOLISM AND ITS INTERACTIONS WITH STARCH METABOLISM. WE WILL USE GENOME-WIDE ASSOCIATION STUDIES AND GENE EXPRESSION ANALYSES TO IDENTIFY GENES THATARE RELATED TO BOTH CAROTENOID COMPOSITION AND CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM AND TOUNDERSTAND THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PROVITAMIN A AND STARCH METABOLISM. WITH THIS INFORMATION, WE WILLPROVIDE RECOMMENDED BREEDING STRATEGIES TO INTERNATIONAL CASSAVA BREEDING PROGRAMS TO HELP GENERATEBOTH NUTRITIONALLY-ENRICHED AND CONSUMER-ACCEPTED VARIETIES OF CASSAVA AND OTHER STARCHY CROPS.THIS PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE AFRI FARM BILL PRIORITY AREA PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTS BY CONDUCTING FOUNDATIONAL RESEARCH ON THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN STARCH AND PROVITAMIN A, TWO IMPORTANT PLANT NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS, WITH DIRECT AND IMPACTFUL APPLICATIONS IN CASSAVA BREEDING. THE PROJECT ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO THE GOALS OF THE USDA-AFRI EWD BY ENRICHING THE PD'S TECHNICAL TRAINING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND MENTORSHIP IN PREPARATION FOR A CAREER IN PUBLIC PLANT BREEDING.