What is agro-terrorism? Chinese admits smuggling toxic pathogen into US, India vulnerable to Pakistani agriterrorism?

China has been accused of unleashing agro-terrorism in the US after federal prosecutors accused two of its nationals of smuggling a dangerous biological pathogen that can be used as an agricultural terrorism weapon. Earlier in 2020, after the outbreak of COVID-19, Beijing was accused of releasing the laboratory-grown Coronavirus to test the potential of its future biological weapon. China denied the allegation, which was never proved. 

Toxic pathogen smuggled

The pathogen allegedly smuggled into the US, has been identified by the U.S. Department of Justice as Fusarium graminearum. It is a fungus classified in scientific literature as a "potential agroterrorism weapon". According to 'Reuters', the Justice Department said in a statement that the fungus causes "head blight" in some crops and is responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses globally each year.

Confirming the case, the FBI has said in its complaint that Chinese citizen Zunyong Liu smuggled the fungus into the US when he visited his girlfriend, Yunqing Jian, in July 2024. Admitting to smuggling in the fungus, the Chinese researcher said that he had done it so that he could conduct research on it at a University of Michigan laboratory where his girlfriend worked.

What is agro-terrorism?

Agro-terrorism or agriculture terrorism has been defined as a malicious attempt to disrupt or destroy the agricultural industry and the food supply system of a population through "the malicious use of plant or animal pathogens to cause devastating disease in the agricultural sectors". It is a part of biological warfare, chemical warfare and entomological warfare and may be carried out by non-state actors. 

First use in 660 BC?

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has said in one of its research papers that the Assyrians were the first to use it in 660 BC when they used mycotoxin-containing rye ergot (Claviceps purpurea) to contaminate enemy water sources. In modern times, Germany was the first country to resort to this weapon during World War I when they allegedly used glanders (Burkholderia mallei) and anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) to infect horses. They allegedly used fungi to contaminate food grain stores, intended for supplies to allied forces in Europe.

Is India vulnerable to Pakistani agroterrorism?

Agro-terrorism can cause catastrophe in India which has key agricultural states like Punjab, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh sharing their borders with hostile neighbours like Pakistan and China. The DRDO has said in another research paper that a toxic fungus reported in neighboring Bangladesh was found in two districts of West Bengal. The pathogen discovered was Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype Triticum (MoT), a wheat-blast-causing fungus. However, its spread was contaminated by banning wheat cultivation in the two districts for three years.

There is no report of China smuggling any pathogen to India, but the possibility can not be ruled out. The danger of toxic pathogens being smuggled into India from Pakistan is looming large in the wake of the present India-Pakistan relations.