title: Plant pathogen forensics: capabilities, needs, and recommendations.
abstract: A biological attack on U.S. crops, rangelands, or forests could reduce yield and quality, erode consumer confidence, affect economic health and the environment, and possibly impact human nutrition and international relations. Preparedness for a crop bioterror event requires a strong national security plan that includes steps for microbial forensics and criminal attribution. However, U.S. crop producers, consultants, and agricultural scientists have traditionally focused primarily on strategies for prevention and management of diseases introduced naturally or unintentionally rather than on responding appropriately to an intentional pathogen introduction. We assess currently available information, technologies, and resources that were developed originally to ensure plant health but also could be utilized for postintroduction plant pathogen forensics. Recommendations for prioritization of efforts and resource expenditures needed to enhance our plant pathogen forensics capabilities are presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA. jacqueline.fletcher@okstate.edu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Budowle
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Cobb
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ishimaru
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Luster
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Melcher
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murch
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Scherm
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Seem
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sherwood
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Sobral
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Tolin
mesh_terms: D023482:Bioterrorism; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006285:Health Planning; D006801:Humans; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D014481:United States