Two Chinese researchers face charges for smuggling a harmful fungus into the United States last summer. The fungus, Fusarium graminearum, is considered a potential agroterrorism threat. It can destroy important crops and harm human and animal health, according to an FBI affidavit supporting the criminal complaint filed Tuesday.
FBI tests found that the smuggled material contained DNA that could grow live Fusarium graminearum. The researchers, Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, allegedly hid the fungus inside a wad of tissues.
Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium head blight, a serious disease affecting staple crops like wheat, barley, corn, and rice. The fungus produces toxins that can cause vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive problems in humans and livestock, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Jian and Liu were charged with conspiracy, smuggling, making false statements, and visa fraud. The complaint says Liu knew the fungus was restricted and purposely hid it in his backpack. There is no evidence they planned to release it outside the lab.
This fungus is the main cause of Fusarium head blight in North America and many other regions. It damages crops by forming lesions and can wipe out entire harvests within weeks. The US loses billions of dollars annually to this disease, with $2.7 billion lost in central US and northern Great Plains from 1998 to 2000 alone.
The fungus survives winter on leftover crop stalks. When weather is wet during the growing season, it spreads spores by wind and water to infect crops. If wheat is infected during flowering, it kills the grain. Later infection causes shriveled, damaged kernels.
Experts say the disease’s impact varies each year depending on weather. It remains a constant risk with ongoing losses.
The USDA regulates the import of organisms that could harm US agriculture. Fusarium graminearum requires a permit to import. Jian and Liu never applied for or received such permission.
Experts note the risk of smuggling this fungus is higher if new strains with harmful traits spread, such as resistance to fungicides or new toxins.
While Fusarium graminearum is unlikely to be used as a weapon, other more dangerous pathogens exist on USDA watch lists.
The fungus’s toxins affect human health, causing digestive problems and neurological effects. Animals exposed to infected grain can refuse food and suffer diarrhea and skin irritation. The main toxin in the US is vomitoxin, which causes vomiting but is controlled in food supplies by strict regulations.
Some studies show the fungus is becoming more resistant to fungicides, highlighting the need for new treatments and resistant crop varieties. Researchers stress the importance of integrated management since no crop is fully immune.
