The Potential of the South American Leaf Blight as a Biological Agent

Oghenekome Onokpise and Clifford Louime
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Oghenekome Onokpise: Florida A&M University—College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 204 Perry Paige, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA
Clifford Louime: Florida A&M University—College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 204 Perry Paige, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA

Sustainability, 2012, vol. 4, issue 11, 1-7

Abstract: When asked by the Department of Homeland Security to create potential terrorism scenarios, even “Out of the Box Thinkers” initially failed to come up with the following scenario. Oil tankers, refineries, nuclear plants, etc ., are obvious potential terrorists’ targets, and adequate measures are being taken to protect them. However, what if the target were to be a non-food commodity product, such as natural rubber tree plantations located in places as remote as southeast Asian countries like Thailand or Indonesia? Would it be of concern? At first thought “maybe not”, but think again. What could the release of a deadly microorganism (fungus/virus/bacteria) in a rubber tree plantation in Indonesia, Malaysia or Thailand possibly mean to you or the world economy?

Keywords: rubber; Hevea brasiliensis; South American Leaf Blight; national security (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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