**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** XANTHOMONAS TRANSLUCENS CAUSES BACTERIAL LEAF STREAK OF ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT CEREAL CROPS (E.G. WHEAT, BARLEY, OATS) AND NO RESISTANCE OR CONTROL METHODS EXIST TO TREAT OR PREVENT THIS DISEASE. THIS DISEASE IS BECOMING AN INCREASING PROBLEM GLOBALLY, WITH MAJOR IMPACTS ON STAPLE FOOD PRODUCTION.IN PRELIMINARY RESEARCH WE FOUND EVIDENCE THAT X. TRANSLUCENS RESPONDS TO SIGNALS IN THE PLANT HOST ENVIRONMENT WHICH INDUCE RAPID GROWTH. PRESENTLY, THERE IS LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT PLANT TRIGGERS THAT CAUSE BACTERIAL POPULATIONS TO BREAK STATIONARY PHASE AND INDUCE POPULATION GROWTH.WE WILL TEST COMPOUNDS THAT ARE PRESENT IN BARLEY PLANTS AND OTHER CROPS TO SEE WHAT FACTORSX. TRANSLUCENSRESPONDS TO. WE WILL ALSO INVESTIGATE THE MECHANISM BY WHICHX. TRANSLUCENSRECOGNIZES THE PLANT ENVIRONMENT. WE SEEK TOUNDERSTANDHOWX. TRANSLUCENSRECOGNIZES THE PLANT HOST AND WHAT COMPOUNDS INDUCE IT TO MULTIPLY WITHIN THE HOST AND THEN ATTACK IT. THIS RESEARCHWILL POTENTIALLY LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR INTERFERING WITH THIS PROCESS AND PREVENTING THIS DISEASE FROM LIMITING YIELDS OF GRAIN CROPS THAT ARE CRITICAL FOR OUR FOOD SECURITY.THIS PREDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP WILL ALSO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN EARLY CAREER PLANT PATHOLOGIST TO INCREASE THEIR RESEARCH EXPERTISE IN METABOLOMICS AND BACTERIAL GENETICS. THIS FELLOWSHIP WILL ALSO ENABLE THE COMPLETION OF TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT GOALS WHICH WILL ENABLE THEM TO IMPROVE AS A TEACHER, MENTOR AND COMMUNICATOR. THE RESEARCH PROPOSED WILL DEVELOP THE GROUNDWORK FOR A NOVEL METHOD TO CHARACTERIZE THE INTERACTION BETWEEN A BACTERIAL PATHOGEN AND ITS HOST.