** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CLIMATE CHANGE AND INCREASED GLOBAL TRADE PLACES THE US AT RISK FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INVASIVE PESTS. ESTABLISHMENT OF INVASIVE PEST SPECIES IN THE CONTINENTAL US, SUCH AS PESTIFEROUS FRUIT FLIES WITHIN THE FAMILY TEPHRITIDAE, WOULD HAVE SERIOUS IMPACTS ON THE PRODUCTION/EXPORTATION OF VALUABLE PLANT PRODUCE. PHYTOSANITARY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES RELY ON ACCURATE GEOGRAPHIC SOURCE ESTIMATION OF INTERCEPTED PEST POPULATIONS TO PREVENT FUTURE INCURSIONS. CURRENT DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS ARE INEFFECTIVE AT ESTIMATING GEOGRAPHIC ORIGIN FOR THE SOUTH AMERICAN FRUIT FLY (THE ANASTREPHA FRATERCULUS SPECIES COMPLEX- THE AFRAT-COMPLEX), WHICH IS A MAJOR TEPHRITID PEST OF CITRUS FRUITS AND MANGO. THEREFORE, I WILL EXPLORE THE DIAGNOSTIC CAPABILITY OF MICROBIOME DIVERSITY ANALYSIS FOR ESTIMATING THE GEOGRAPHIC ORIGIN OF INTERCEPTED AFRAT-COMPLEX INDIVIDUALS. MY OBJECTIVES ARE TO 1) IDENTIFY IF DISTINCT MICROBIOME COMPONENTS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH GEOGRAPHIC ORIGIN, 2) IDENTIFY IF WOLBACHIA ENDOSYMBIONTS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH GEOGRAPHIC ORIGIN, AND 3) PRESENT A BIOINFORMATIC WORKSHOP ON STUDYING MICROBIOME DIVERSITY IN TEPHRITIDS TO COLLABORATORS IN BRAZIL. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL PROVIDE VALUE-ADDED INNOVATION TO CURRENT DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS USED FOR THE GEOGRAPHIC ORIGIN ESTIMATION OF INTERCEPTED PESTS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE AFRI PRIORITY AREA 1: PROMOTE PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTS AND USDA STRATEGIC GOAL 3: PROMOTE AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND EXPORTS. ADDITIONALLY, BY COLLABORATING WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH PARTNERS, WE ARE PROMOTING GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS VITAL BETWEEN THE US AND BRAZIL, A COUNTRY WHERE THE AFRAT-COMPLEX IS CURRENTLY ESTABLISHED.