** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** PLANTS ARE AFFECTED BY DISEASES CAUSED BY DIVERSE GROUPS OF MICROORGANISMS. WHEN THOSE DISEASES AFFECT CROPS, SUCH AS RICE, THEY HAVE AN ENORMOUS NEGATIVE IMPACT ON FARMERS AND FOOD SECURITY FOR A GROWING HUMAN POPULATION. A COMMON METHOD TO CONTROL CROP DISEASES IS WITH SYNTHETIC CHEMICAL PESTICIDES THAT CAN HAVE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON ECOSYSTEMS AND HUMAN AND ANIMAL HEALTH. AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH INVOLVES THE USE OF BENEFICIAL MICROORGANISMS PRESENT IN NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS THAT CAN COUNTERACT THE ACTIVITY OF PLANT PATHOGENS THROUGH THE PRODUCTION OF A VARIETY OF MOLECULES KNOWN AS ANTIMICROBIALS. A PROMINENT GROUP OF ENVIRONMENTAL BACTERIA THAT COULD BE EXPLOITED TO CONTROL PLANT PATHOGENS ARE CALLED PSEUDOMONAS AND WITHIN THAT GROUP PSEUDOMONAS PROTEGENS PBL3 HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE INHIBITING THE GROWTH OF A PLANT PATHOGENIC BACTERIUM CAUSING A DEVASTATING DISEASE IN RICE. HOWEVER, THE STRATEGIES THAT P. PROTEGENS PBL3 USES AGAINST THE BACTERIAL PATHOGEN ARE NOT KNOWN. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC ANTIMICROBIAL MOLECULES THAT P. PROTEGENS PBL3 PRODUCES AND UNDERSTAND HOW THEY INHIBIT THE GROWTH OF THE PATHOGEN. THE RESULTS FROM THIS PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO DEVELOPING BIOLOGICALLY BASED SOLUTIONS TO CONTROL DISEASES IN CROPS TO REDUCE CROP LOSSES AND REDUCE THEIR ECONOMIC IMPACT TO FARMERS WHILE ALLEVIATING FOOD INSECURITY WORLDWIDE. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO PROVIDE BROAD SCIENTIFIC TRAINING TO EMERGING SCIENTISTS AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF THEIR CAREERS.