** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** AGRICULTURAL WEEDS COST THE UNITED STATES HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CROP YIELD LOSSES ANNUALLY AND THREATEN GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY. CHEMICAL HERBICIDES HAVE LONG BEEN THE PRIMARY FORM OF WEED CONTROL, BUT HERBICIDE RESISTANCE HAS BEEN DETECTED IN OVER 250 WEED SPECIES TO DATE, AND MANY WEEDS ARE RESISTANT TO MULTIPLE HERBICIDAL MODES OF ACTION. OF PARTICULAR CONCERN IS THE EVOLUTION OF GLYPHOSATE RESISTANCE, AS GLYPHOSATE (THE ACTIVE AGENT OF THE BROAD-SPECTRUM HERBICIDE ROUNDUP) IS ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY-USED HERBICIDES IN THE WORLD. GIVEN THE HEAVY RELIANCE ON THIS HERBICIDE FOR WEED CONTROL, IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE EVOLUTIONARY IMPACTS OF GLYPHOSATE RESISTANCE ON PLANT RESISTANCE TO CONCURRENT STRESSORS LIKE NATURAL INSECT HERBIVORY. MY PROJECT WILL EXAMINE HOW RESISTANCE TO GLYPHOSATE AND HERBIVORY MAY SHAPE THE EVOLUTION OF THE COMMON MORNING GLORY, A NOXIOUS AGRICULTURAL WEED, AS WELL AS THE GENES RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE FORMS OF RESISTANCE. TO THIS END, I WILL CONDUCT A FIELD EXPERIMENT AND A MOLECULAR BIOLOGY STUDY TO UNCOVER WHICH PLANT DEFENSE TRAITS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GLYPHOSATE AND HERBIVORY RESISTANCE, HOW THESE FORMS OF RESISTANCE MAY AFFECT THE EVOLUTION OF AGRICULTURAL WEEDS, AND THE GENETICS UNDERLYING RESISTANCE. THIS PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE OF HOW AGRICULTURAL WEEDS MAY CHANGE OVER TIME GIVEN THE PRESENCE OF BOTH HERBICIDE AND INSECT HERBIVORY, ULTIMATELY HELPING TO INFORM AND SHAPE BEST PRACTICES IN WEED MANAGEMENT.