Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Bioterrorism: A Threat to Plant Biosecurity?

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Role of Plant Pathology in Food Safety and Food Security

Part of the book series: Plant Pathology in the 21st Century ((ICPP,volume 3))

Abstract

The food systems that provide the caloric requirements for most of the world’s population are plant-based, including, rice, wheat and maize. The health and productivity of plant systems is a prerequisite of food security and human health. There are many general threats to plant systems that put plant biosecurity at risk, including global trade of plants and plant products, climate change, population growth and landscape exploitation. Bioterrorism is one more threat to consider when developing a strategy for plant biosecurity. Plant systems are vulnerable to biocrime and bioterrorism. Various lists of threat agents and different approaches to risk assessment have been developed to guide research and policy decisions. Yet an integrated strategy for global plant biosecurity is lacking.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Boben J, Urek G, Radisek S, Mehle N, Dreo T, Ĺ irca S, Pirc M, Ĺ˝erjav M, Viršček-Marn M, Ravnikar M (2008) Crop biosecurity in Slovenia: strategies and implementation. J Plant Pathol 90(2):148

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowers JH, Bailey BA, Hebbar PK, Sanogo S, Lumsden RD (2001) The impact of plant diseases on world chocolate production. Online. Plant Health Prog . doi: 10.1094/PHP-2001-0709-01-RV

    Google Scholar 

  • Brasier CM (2001) Rapid evolution of introduced plant pathogens via interspecific hybridization. Bioscience 51(2):123–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brasier CM (2008) The biosecurity threat to the UK and global environment from international trade in plants. Plant Pathol 57(5):792–808

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Britton KO (2004) Controlling biological pollution. pp 1–7. In: Kerry Britton (ed) Biological pollution, an emerging global menace. American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 113 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Castonguay S (2005) BiorĂ©gionalisme, commerce agricole et propagation des insectes nuisibles et des maladies vĂ©gĂ©tales: les conventions internationales phytopathologiques. Ruralia 16(17):137–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Cochrane H, Haslett D (2002) Deliberate release – what are the risks? NZ J Forestry 47:16–7

    Google Scholar 

  • Connick WJ, Daigle DJ, Pepperman AB, Hebbar KP, Lumsden RD, Anderson TW, Sands DC (1998) Preparation of stable, granular formulations containing Fusarium oxysporum pathogenic to narcotic plants. Biol Control 13:79–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cupp OS, Walker DE, Hillison J (2004) Agroterrorism in the US: Key security challenge for the 21st century. Biosecur Bioterror 2:97–105

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • EPPO (2007) PM 5/3 (3) Decision-support scheme for quarantine pests [http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/Pest_Risk_Analysis/PRA_intro.htm].

  • Fletcher J (2008) The need for forensic tools in a balanced national agricultural security programme. In: Gullino ML, Fletcher J, Gamliel A, Stack JP (eds) Crop biosecurity: assuring our global food supply. Springer, The Netherlands, 148 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher J, Bender C, Budowle B, Cobb WT, Gold SE, Ishimaru CA, Luster D, Melcher U, Murch R, Scherm H, Seem RC, Sherwood JL, Sobral BW, Tolin SA (2006) Plant pathogen forensics: capabilities, needs, and recommendations. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 70:450–71

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Foxwell J (2001) Current trends in agroterrorism (antilivestock, anticrop, and antisoil bioagricultural terrorism) and their potential impact on food security. Stud Conf Terror 24:107–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gottwald TR, Graham JH, Schubert TS (2002) Citrus canker: The pathogen and its impact. Online. Plant Health Prog . doi: 10.1094/PHP-2002-0812-01-RV

    Google Scholar 

  • Gullino ML, Suffert F, Dehne H, Thomas J, Barker I, Gamliel A, Bonifert M, Stack J, Fletcher J, Abd-Elsalam K (2007) Crop and food biosecurity: first results of European research. Phytopathology 97:S44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gullino ML, Fletcher J, Gamliel A, Stack J (eds) (2008). Crop biosecurity: assuring our global food supply. Springer, The Netherlands. 148 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Hennessy DA (2008) Economic aspects of agricultural and food biosecurity. Biosecur Bioterror 6:66–77

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Homewood B (1991) Fungus threat to Brazil’s 300 million cocoa trees. New Scientist 1778:16

    Google Scholar 

  • Huff KM, Meilke KD, Turvey CG, Cranfield J (2004) Modeling bioterrorism in the livestock sectors of NAFTA members. Curr Agric Food Resour Issues 5:1–22

    Google Scholar 

  • IOM/NRC (2006) Globalization, biosecurity, and the future of the life sciences. Institute of Medicine and National Research Council Report. The National Academies Press, Washington DC, 299 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • IPPC (2004) Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests, including analysis of environmental risks and living modified organisms. International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures no. 11, FAO, Roma, Italy

    Google Scholar 

  • Junior P (2006) Terrorismo biologico. Veja 1961:60–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Latxague E, Sache I, Pinon J, Andrivon D, Barbier M, Suffert F (2007) A methodology for assessing the risk posed by the deliberate and harmful use of plant pathogens in Europe. EPPO Bull 37:427–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Line RF, Griffith CS (2001) Research on the epidemiology of stem rust of wheat during the Cold War. In: Peterson PD (ed) Stem rust of wheat: from ancient enemy to modern foe. APS Press, St. Paul, US, pp 83–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Mack RN, Lonsdale WM (2001) Humans as global plant dispersers: getting more than we bargained for. Bioscience 51(2):95–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madden LV, Van Den Bosch F (2002) A population-dynamics approach to assess the threat of plant pathogens as biological weapons against annual crops. BioScience 52:65–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madden LV, Wheelis M (2003) The threat of plant pathogens as weapons against US crops. Annu Rev Phytopathol 41:155–76

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Man in’t Veldt WA, Veenbaas-Rijks WJ, Ilieva E, de Cock AWAM, Bonants PJM, Pieters R (1998) Natural hybrids of Phytophthora nicotianae and Phytophthora cactorum demonstrated by isozyme analysis and random amplified polymorphic DNA. Phytopathology 88:922–929

    Google Scholar 

  • Maraniss D (1989) Texas mourns imminent death of 500-year old Treaty Oak; Austin landmark apparently was poisoned. Washington Post, June 27, 1989

    Google Scholar 

  • Nutter FW Jr, Madden LV (2005) Plant diseases as a possible consequence of biological attacks. In: Greenfield RA, Bronze MS (eds) Biological terrorism. Horizon Scientific Press, Caister Scientific Press, Norfolk, UK, pp 793–818

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Neill NR, Jennings JC, Bailey BA, Farr DF (2000) Dendryphion penicillatum and Pleospora papaveracea, destructive seedborne pathogens and potential mycoherbicides for Papaver somniferum. Phytopathology 90:691–8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ostfield ML (2007) Biodefense: U.S. vision of a broader cooperation. Eur Aff 8(1):75–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Palm M (1999) Mycology and world trade: a view from the front line. Mycologia 91:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paterson RRM (2006) Fungi and fungal toxins as weapons. Mycol Res 110:1003–10

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Price-Smith A (2002) The health of nations. MIT Press. Cambridge, MA, 220 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers P, Whitby S, Dando M (1999) Biological warfare against crops. Sci Am 280:70–5

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rossman A (2001) A special issue on global movement of invasive plants and fungi. BioScience 51(2):93–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaad NW, Abrams J, Madden LV, Frederick RD, Luster DG, Damsteegt VD, Vidaver AK (2006) An assessment model for rating high-threat crop pathogens. Phytopathology 96:616–21

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shelburne EC (2008) The great disruption. The Atlantic Monthly, September, pp 28–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Stack JP (2008) Challenges to crop biosecurity, pp 15–23. In: Gullino ML, Fletcher J, Gamliel A, Stack PJ (eds) Crop biosecurity: assuring our global food supply. Springer, The Netherlands, 148 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Stack JP, Fletcher, J (2007) Plant biosecurity infrastructure for disease surveillance and diagnostics. pp 95–106. In: Institute of Medicine. 2007. Global infectious disease surveillance and detection: assessing the challenges – finding the solutions. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 263 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Stack J, Cardwell K, Hammerschmidt R, Byrne J, Loria R, Snover-Clift K, Baldwin W, Wisler G, Beck H, Bostock R, Thomas C, Luke E (2006) The national plant diagnostic network. Plant Dis 90:128–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suffert F (2002) L’épidĂ©miologie vĂ©gĂ©tale, nouvelle discipline de guerre? Lumière sur le bioterrorisme agricole, un enjeu Ă©mergent pour la recherche agronomique. Le Courrier de l’Environ 47:57–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Suffert F (2003) L’utilisation volontaire d’agents phytopathogènes contre les cultures. L’agroterrorisme et ses consĂ©quences sur notre approche de la lutte contre les maladies des plantes. Phytoma 563:8–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Suffert F, Barbier M, Sache I, Latxague E (2008) BiosĂ©curitĂ© des cultures et agroterrorisme : une menace, des questions scientifiques et une rĂ©elle opportunitĂ© de rĂ©activer un dispositif d’épidĂ©miovigilance. Le Courrier de l’Environ

    Google Scholar 

  • Waage JK, Mumford JD (2007) Agricultural biosecurity. Philos Trans R Soc B 363:863–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wheelis M, Casagrande R, Madden LV (2002) Biological attack on agriculture: low-tech, high-impact bioterrorism. Bioscience 52:569–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wheelis M, Yokoyama V, Ramos C (2008) Agricultural warfare and bioterrorism using invasive species. In: Heather NW, Hallman GJ (eds) Pest management and phytosanitary trade barriers. CABI, Wallingford, United Kingdom, pp 14–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitby S (2002) Biological warfare against crops. Palgrave, Basingstoke, United Kingdom

    Google Scholar 

  • Windle PN (2004) Exotic pests: past, present, and future, pp 17–27. In: Kerry Britton (ed) Biological pollution, an emerging global menace. APS Press, St. Paul, MN, 113 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Young JM, Allen C, Coutinho T, Denny T, Elphinstone J, Fegan M, Gillings M, Gottwald TR, Graham JH, Iacobellis NS, Janse JD, Jacques MA, Lopez MM, Morris CE, Parkinson N, Prior P, Pruvost O, Rodrigues Neto J, Scortichini M, Takikawa Y, Upper CD (2008) Plant-pathogenic bacteria as biological weapons – real threats? Phytopathology 98(10):1060–1065

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zilinskas RA (1999) Cuban allegations of biological warfare by the United States: assessing the evidence. Crit Rev Microbiol 25:173–227

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

This work was funded by a grant from the European Commission for the project “Crop and food biosecurity, and provision of the means to anticipate and tackle crop bioterrorism”, Contract n. 6403 and by a grant from _______________ to the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center for the project __________ Contract n. ______.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, 4024 Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center, Manhattan, Kansas, 66506, USA

    J. P. Stack

  2. AgroParisTech, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), UMR 1290 BIOGER-CPP, F-78850, Thiverval-Grignon, France

    F. Suffert

  3. Centre of Competence for the Innovation in the Agro-environmental Sector, University of Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci, 44, 10095, Grugliasco, Torino, Italy

    M. L. Gullino

Authors
  1. J. P. Stack
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. F. Suffert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. L. Gullino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. P. Stack .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom

    R.N. Strange

  2. Centro di Competenza per, UniversitĂ  di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, Grugliasco, 10095, Italy

    Maria Lodovica Gullino

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Stack, J.P., Suffert, F., Gullino, M.L. (2009). Bioterrorism: A Threat to Plant Biosecurity?. In: Strange, R., Gullino, M. (eds) The Role of Plant Pathology in Food Safety and Food Security. Plant Pathology in the 21st Century, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8932-9_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation