Module 7

Question 1

Plant pathogen epidemics

Answer 1

• Potato blight caused by oomycete (non-fungal pathogen)
• Great Bengal famine: brown spot
• Leaf blight
• Wheat leaf rust
• Trees

Question 2

Farm-to-fork continuum

Answer 2

• Production
• Processing and distribution
• Restaurant and retail
• Food services and at home cooking

Question 3

Impact on crops - bioterrorism

Answer 3

• $30B /year
• Quantity and quality reduction
• Short-term and long-term costs
• Selective harvesting
• Replanting and replacement crops of lesser value

Question 4

Indicators

Answer 4

• Absence of insect vectors
• Unusual pattern/pathogen attributes/time of year
• Weather nonconductive to pathogen survival
• Disease in one area but not another
• Physical evidence/unauthorized visitors/motive

Question 5

ID techniques

Answer 5

• ELISA + PCR (little available so might require preamplification)
• Biosensors based on nucleic acid sequences
• UASs: plasmon resonance
• Dogs

Question 6

Gaps

Answer 6

• Secure, curate pathogen references
• Population studies
• Rigorous and reliable analytical methods
• Training