** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS IS AN INTEGRATED PROJECT. KALIRAMESH SILIVERU FROM KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY WILL LEAD THE PROJECT AS PROJECT DIRECTOR; BHADRIRAJU SUBRAMANYAM AND LOGAN BRITTON FROM KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY AND LUIS SABILLON-GALEAS FROM NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY ARE THREE PROJECT CO-DIRECTORS. THE USE OF METHYL BROMIDE (MB) IN PULSE FUMIGATION HAS DRAWBACKS DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND ADVERSE EFFECTS ON SEED GERMINATION. THE PROJECT AIMS TO ADDRESS THE DRAWBACKS OF MEBR FUMIGATION IN PULSES BY ESTABLISHING COLD PLASMA TREATMENT, A NONTHERMAL PHYSICAL TREATMENT, AS MBALTERNATIVE. THE PROJECT FOCUSES ON ACHIEVING A DISINFESTED AND MICROBIALLY SAFE PRODUCT WITH AN EXTENDED SHELF-LIFE USING CUTTING-EDGE TECHNIQUES.THE PROJECT WILL EMPLOY HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING TO DETECT BRUCHUS INFESTATION IN PULSES. CONCURRENTLY, THE DISINFESTATION EFFICACY OF COLD PLASMA TREATMENT WILL BE EVALUATED IN CHICKPEAS AND COWPEAS INFESTED WITH CALLASOBRUCHUS MACULATUS AND CALLASOBRUCHUS CHINENSIS. FURTHER, THE DECONTAMINATION EFFICIENCY OF COLD PLASMA TREATMENT IN CHICKPEAS AND COWPEAS WILL BE EVALUATED AGAINST PATHOGENS LIKE SALMONELLA, LISTERIA, AND STECS. COMPARISON WITH METHYL BROMIDE-FUMIGATED PULSES WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH RESPECT TO DISINFESTATION, MICROBIAL INACTIVATION, AND GERMINATION PROPERTIES OF SEEDS. ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AND COSTS OF THE DISINFESTATION TECHNOLOGY WILL BE ANALYZED. OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING HANDS-ON TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS, WILL BE ORGANIZED TO EDUCATE STAKEHOLDERS AND PROMOTE COLD PLASMA TREATMENT AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL MEBR IN THE PULSE INDUSTRY.ALIGNED WITH THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL AND ADDRESSING MBPHASE-OUT, THIS INTEGRATED APPROACH WILL PROMOTE COLD PLASMA TREATMENT AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE FOR PULSE INDUSTRY PRACTICES, EMPHASIZING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND IMPROVED QUALITY.