Plants, People, and Pathogens: Public Health and Crop Security in an Age of Bio-Preparedness

Jacqueline Fletcher, PhD, of the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology at Oklahoma State University, talks about the vulnerability of plants to emerging pathogens, pests and their potential for usage in bioterrorist attacks. She describes how plant diseases can cause a great deal of havoc, including reduction in quantity, higher food prices, and most importantly they can affect humans and livestock. Because of these many factors, in her talk, Dr. Fletcher stresses that people should place a greater emphasis on protecting the food supply, quoting 1970 Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug, "Food is the cornerstone of national security." (Lecture given on September 28, 2005)