** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** INSECT PESTS AND THE DISEASES THEY CARRY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HUGE AGRICULTURAL LOSSES EACH YEAR. THE PRESSURE FROM PLANT DISEASE IS ONLY EXPECTED TO WORSEN AS THE CLIMATE WARMS AND PESTS CAN INVADE NEW REGIONS. WHILE INSECTICIDES CAN PREVENT CROP DAMAGE, MANY PRODUCTS TARGET IMMATURE INSECTS, NOT ADULTS. TIMING IS CRITICAL TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE COVERAGE; HOWEVER, IT CAN BE CHALLENGING FOR GROWERS TO TRACK LIFE STAGES AND POPULATION GROWTH IN THE FIELD. MOREOVER, BECAUSE INSECTICIDES ARE SOMETIMES PROBLEMATIC, COSTING BILLIONS EACH YEAR IN NEGATIVE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES, THERE IS A PUBLIC INCENTIVE TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS.WE PLAN TO DEVELOP MODELS THAT PREDICT LIFE STAGES OF VARIOUS POTATO PESTS AND THE IMPACT OF POTENTIAL INSECTICIDE APPLICATIONS. WE WILL WORK WITH GROWERS AND EXTENSION AGENTS TO DEVELOP TOOLS THAT WILL BE MOST USEFUL TO PRODUCERS BASED ON OUR RESEARCH. FINALLY, WE WILL HOST WORKSHOPS AND CONDUCT TRAININGS SO THAT GROWERS CAN FULLY UTILIZE THE TOOLS WE DEVELOP.A ROBUST, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, PEST-PREDICTION SYSTEM WILL HELP FARMERS MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT PESTICIDE TIMING. LOWERING THE COSTS OF INPUTS, MITIGATING FARMWORKER EXPOSURE TO INSECTICIDES, AND MINIMIZING THE INTRODUCTION OF PESTICIDES INTO THE SURROUNDING ECOSYSTEMS CAN IMPROVE LOCAL ECONOMIES, HEALTH, AND THE ENVIRONMENT.