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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Plant-pathogenic bacteria as biological weapons - Real threats?
Phytopathology, Volume 98, No. 10, Year 2008
Notification
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Description
At present, much attention is being given to the potential of plant pathogens, including plant-pathogenic bacteria, as biological weapons/bioterror weapons. These two terms are sometimes used interchangeably and there is need for care in their application. It has been claimed that clandestine introduction of certain plant-pathogenic bacteria could cause such crop losses as to impact so significantly on a national economy and thus constitute a threat to national security. As a separate outcome, it is suggested that they could cause serious public alarm, perhaps constituting a source of terror. Legislation is now in place to regulate selected plant-pathogenic bacteria as potential weapons. However, we consider it highly doubtful that any plant-pathogenic bacterium has the requisite capabilities to justify such a classification. Even if they were so capable, the differentiation of pathogens into a special category with regulations that are even more restrictive than those currently applied in quarantine legislation of most jurisdictions offers no obvious benefit. Moreover, we believe that such regulations are disadvantageous insofar as they limit research on precisely those pathogens most in need of study. Whereas some human and animal pathogens may have potential as biological or bioterror weapons, we conclude that it is unlikely that any plant-pathogenic bacterium realistically falls into this category. © 2008 The American Phytopathological Society.
Authors & Co-Authors
Young, J. M.
New Zealand, Auckland
Landcare Research, Auckland
Allen, C.
United States, Madison
University of Wisconsin-madison
Coutinho, T. A.
South Africa, Pretoria
University of Pretoria
Denny, T.
United States, Athens
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Athens Campus
Elphinstone, John G.
United Kingdom, York
Central Science Laboratory York
Fegan, Mark
Australia, Brisbane
The University of Queensland
Gillings, Michael R.
Australia, Sydney
Macquarie University
Gottwald, Timothy R.
United States, Fort Pierce
Usda Ars U.s. Horticultural Research Laboratory
Graham, James H.
United States, Gainesville
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
Iacobellis, Nicola Sante
Italy, Potenza
Università Degli Studi Della Basilicata
Janse, J. D.
Netherlands, Emmeloord
Dutch General Inspection Service
Jacques, M. A.
France, Beaucouze
Centre Inrae Pays de la Loire
López, M.
Spain, Moncada
Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias
Morris, C. E.
France, Avignon
Pathologie Végétale pv
Parkinson, Neil M.
United Kingdom, York
Central Science Laboratory York
Prior, Philippe
France, Saint-denis
Peuplements Végétaux et Bioagresseurs en Milieu Tropical Pvbmt
Pruvost, Olivier P.
France, Saint-denis
Peuplements Végétaux et Bioagresseurs en Milieu Tropical Pvbmt
Rodrigues Neto, J.
Brazil, Campinas, sp
Instituto Biológico
Scortichini, M.
Italy, Rome
Consiglio Per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e L’analisi Dell’economia Agraria Crea
Takikawa, Y.
Japan, Shizuoka
Shizuoka University
Upper, C. D.
United States, Madison
University of Wisconsin-madison
Statistics
Citations: 21
Authors: 21
Affiliations: 18
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1094/PHYTO-98-10-1060
ISSN:
0031949X