** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** GOLDENBERRYIS A SPECIALTY FRUIT CROP SUSCEPTIBLE TO INSECT DAMAGE, PREVENTING ITSSUCCESSFUL ADOPTIONIN THE U.S. GROUNDCHERRY, A CLOSE RELATIVE OF GOLDENBERRY, EXHIBITS A HIGHER RESISTANCE AGAINST INSECTSCOMPARED WITH GOLDENBERRY. A GROUP OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS CALLED WITHANOLIDES FOUND IN THESE PLANTS COULD BE THE MECHANISM BEHIND THE INSECT RESISTANCE DIFFERENCES.WITHANOLIDE AMOUNTDATA GENERATED FROM GROUNDCHERRY LINES WITH MUTATIONS IN GENES THAT PROMOTE WITHANOLIDE PRODUCTIONCANBE CORRELATED WITH DATA CONCERNING INSECT BEHAVIOR ON THESE GROUNDCHERRY LINESTO IDENTIFY PARTICULAR WITHANOLIDES WITH LARGE EFFECTS ON INSECT RESISTANCE. THE RESULTS OF THIS WORK WILL PROVIDE A FOUNDATION FOR IDENTIFYING BREEDING TARGETS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF INSECT RESISTANCE IN GOLDENBERRY.