** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** PLANT AND ANIMAL PRODUCTION, PROTECTION, AND HEALTH. CROPS CAN BE INFECTED BY PATHOGENIC BACTERIA THAT KILL THE PLANT AND DRASTICALLY DECREASE MARKETABLE YIELD. MANY OF THESE BACTERIA CAN INFECT A LARGE NUMBER OF DIVERSE CROP SPECIES AND KNOWLEDGE OF HOW THESE BACTERIA CAN GROW INSIDE THE PLANT COULD LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONTROL STRATEGIES TO LIMIT PATHOGEN SPREAD AND SEVERITY. OUR RESEARCH WORK WILL INVESTIGATE ALREADY IDENTIFIED TARGET GENES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO BACTERIAL GROWTH INSIDE THE PLANT HOST. OUR WORK WILL ALSO IMPROVE EXPERIMENTAL AND STATISTICAL METHODS FOR RAPID TARGET GENES DISCOVERY TO CONTROL PATHOGENIC BACTERIA.?