OUR CONFERENCE, COMBATING VASCULAR STREAK DIEBACK OF REDBUD: A COLLABORATIVE CONFERENCE FOR DIAGNOSIS, MANAGEMENT, AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES, ADDRESSES THE PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY [A1112] 1C: PESTS AND BENEFICIAL SPECIES IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. THE CONFERENCE WILL EXPLORE KEY ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH VASCULAR STREAK DIEBACK (VSD) OF REDBUD, A RELATIVELY NEW AND SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO THE NURSERY INDUSTRY. THE CONFERENCE WILL CREATE A COLLABORATIVE PLATFORM, ADVANCING THE UNDERSTANDING OF VSD, ITS BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC FACTORS, BEHAVIORAL ATTRIBUTES, INVASIVENESS, DISPERSAL DYNAMICS, AND STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE CROP FAILURE. IT WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON IDENTIFICATION, DIAGNOSTICS, AND COMMUNICATION. BY BRINGING TOGETHER EXPERTS, STAKEHOLDERS, AND AFFECTED GROWERS, THE CONFERENCE WILL PROMOTE KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE AND INTERDISCIPLINARY COOPERATION TO ADDRESS DIAGNOSTIC CHALLENGES, EXPLORE THE ECOLOGY AND BIOLOGY OF THE SUSPECTED PATHOGEN(S), DISCUSS GLOBAL AND NATIONAL REGULATORY IMPLICATIONS, EVALUATE IMPACTS ON URBAN ECOLOGY, AND IDENTIFY IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.THE MEETING IS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN THE INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF VSD, IDENTIFICATION OF RESEARCH GAPS, FORMULATION OF STRATEGIC ACTION PLANS FOR DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT, AND ENHANCEMENT OF COLLABORATION AMONG RESEARCHERS, INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS, AND GROWERS. WE AIM TO CONTRIBUTE TO SUSTAINABLE U.S. AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS BY ADDRESSING A PRESSING PROBLEM IN ORNAMENTAL PLANT PRODUCTION, ALIGNING WITH THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY. THIS CONFERENCE SERVES AS A CRITICAL RESPONSE TO THE NEED FOR A COORDINATED EFFORT TO ADDRESS VSD AND ITS IMPACT ON THE NURSERY INDUSTRY, UNDERSCORING THE RELEVANCE OF THE PROJECT TO STAKEHOLDERS AND ONGOING STATE-FEDERAL FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION PROGRAMS.