** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SOILBORNE DISEASES POSE A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY. THE RELIANCE ON SYNTHETIC PESTICIDES TO COMBAT THESE DISEASES HAS RAISED SUSTAINABILITY CONCERNS, NECESSITATING RESEARCH FOR EFFECTIVE AND ECONOMICALLY VIABLE ORGANIC ALTERNATIVES. THIS PROJECT FOCUSES ON HARNESSING LOBSTER SHELLS, AN ABUNDANT YET UNDERUTILIZED RESOURCE, TO DEVELOP COST-EFFECTIVE ORGANIC SOIL AMENDMENTS, AIMING AT IMPROVING CROP PRODUCTIVITY, PROMOTING HEALTHY SOIL MICROORGANISMS, AND SUPPRESSING SOILBORNE PATHOGENS. IN ADDITION, THE PROJECT AIMS TO UNDERSTAND THE INTRICATE INTERACTIONS AMONG STRUCTURAL AND COMPOSITIONAL PROPERTIES OF LOBSTER SHELLS, SOIL MICROBIOME, AND SOILBORNE DISEASES. AFTER COMPLETING THIS PROJECT, WE WILL DEVELOP A GREEN TECHNOLOGY TO PRODUCE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND AFFORDABLE ORGANIC SOIL AMENDMENT WHICH COULD SUPPRESS PATHOGEN AND IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH. THE OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT TO THE U.S. AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM. THIS PROJECT IS TRANSFORMATIVE. THE DEVELOPED TECHNOLOGY AND OBTAINED FINDINGS CAN BE APPLIED TO OTHER SHELL WASTES AND INSECT RESOURCES, AND CAN CONTRIBUTE TO CROP PRODUCTION ENHANCEMENT IN VARIOUS CONTEXTS.