** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** NITROGEN IS A CRITICAL NUTRIENT FOR PLANT GROWTH AND YIELD. WHILE NITROGEN SUPPLY HAS BEEN FACILITATED THROUGH THE HABER-BOSCH PROCESS AND FERTILIZER APPLICATION, OVER-APPLICATION OF FERTILIZER HAS DRASTIC ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES. FURTHERMORE, NITROGEN DOSE AND TIME OF APPLICATION CAN HAVE DIVERSEINFLUENCES ON MULTIPLE TRAITS OF RELEVANCE TO TOMATO GROWERS INCLUDING YIELD, FRUIT BIOACTIVE COMPOUND CONTENT, DISEASE AND SEED QUALITY. THEREFORE, THERE IS AN URGENT NEED FOR PLANTS WITH INCREASED NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY. LITTLE IS KNOWN REGARDING THE MOLECULAR PLAYERS ASSOCIATED WITH NITROGEN METABOLISM IN TOMATOES. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED FIVE TOMATO GENES THAT DETERMINE PLANT N METABOLIC GENE RESPONSIVENESS AND WILL UTILIZE INNOVATIVE APPROACHES, GUIDED BY THE NEEDS OF US TOMATO GROWERS, BREEDERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, TO BREED PLANTS WITH INCREASED NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY.CONDITIONS.