(NewsNation) — The FBI on Wednesday announced that they caught a Chinese scientist smuggling Fusarium graminearum into the U.S. last year.
The scientist and her boyfriend, a researcher at a lab at the University of Michigan, were charged with smuggling, conspiracy, making false statements, and visa fraud.
The FBI acknowledged that a scientific journal describes it as a potential agroterrorism weapon, so it’s safe to say the United States dodged a bullet with the arrest.
But what is Fusarium graminearum? Where does it come from? How much harm can it cause to people and plants?
What is Fusarium graminearum?
Fusarium graminearum is a pathogen that causes fusarium head blight in cereal crops.
The fungus lands on susceptible parts of the host plant to germinate. Its hosts include wheat, barley, maize and rice.
“It releases spores, and it becomes most concerning when our wheat and barley crops are starting to head,” said Andrew Friskop, associate professor and plant pathologist at North Dakota State University. “You see the spikes. And that’s when the fungi will infect the plant, leading to shriveled kernels and some of the mycotoxin production.”
Fusarium graminearum’s infection on barley is not always visible. It only shows when infected spikelets have a brown or water-soaked appearance.
What are symptoms of Fusarium graminearum for people?
People infected with Fusarium graminearum will experience vomiting and liver damage.
In addition, the pathogen can cause reproductive defects in livestock and is harmful to humans through contaminated food.
“Part of the efforts with the U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative is that we’re looking to protect the food safety of our small grains, but also reduce economic losses,” said Friskop. “Because of our efforts that have been going on for 20 years, we have FDA advisory levels in place. So, depending on the use, whether it’s livestock or human consumption, there are some pretty strict advisory levels to make sure we can always secure a safe, well-established food supply.”
The pathogen is also responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year.
Is Furasium graminearum deadly?
Despite its side effects, those who contract Fusarium graminearum will not die.
Some studies do suggest a potential link to cancer.
“We have management tools in place,” Friskop said. “We have breeding programs producing resistant varieties, making sure to stay ahead of this pathogen.”
Where does Fusarium graminearum come from?
Fusarium graminearum can be found across the United States and the world in temperate and semitropical regions.
One of the fungus’s biggest landing spots is North Dakota, the top state for wheat production.
“We’ve had Fusarium graminearum in the U.S. since the 1900s,” added Friskop. “It really became an issue in the 1990s and early 2000s when we had these headlight epidemics.”
The fungus is also traced back to several countries in South America, China, and parts of Europe.