Biological war with insects?

A step towards biological warfare with insects?

A US Department of Defense research program research program could easily be misused to develop biological weapons. Researchers draw attention to the explosiveness.

Genome Editing (Crispr) Law

While the frightening impact of chemical weapons on contemporary armed conflict is present in public perception, biological weapons and their effects have largely disappeared from the public eye. A research program by the Department of Defense research agency now raises concerns that biological warfare research might be abused. In the project called Insect Allies ("Allies / Allied Insects") insects are to serve as a means of transport for plant viruses and transfer them to agricultural crops.

The viruses can change the genome of the affected plants by means of so-called genome editing. In this way, growing crops such as corn and tomatoes could be genetically modified quickly and on a large scale. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön and the Universities of Freiburg and Montpellier point out in the journal Science that such a system can be relatively easily manipulated and used as a biological weapon.

Genome Editing opens up unimagined possibilities for changing the genotype of crops. For example, plants can become more productive or less susceptible to pests and dryness. So far, however, such genetic manipulations can only be done in the lab - once the plants grow on the field, it is too late for that. In case of unexpected drought or pest infestation farmers have to wait for new seed for the next harvest season.

At the end of 2016, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a US Department of Defense agency that funded research projects for the ministry, publicly announced a four-year research program. It funds projects totaling US $ 27 million with the aim of releasing genetically modified viruses that can alter the genetic material of crops in the field. In mid-2017, the first of three consortia of several US research organizations announced its participation in the DARPA program. According to the press releases of the selected institutions, the scientists involved are investigating whether they can transmit the viruses to grasses and aphids, and to plant lice, on corn and tomatoes. By the end of the program, the technology should be widely used in greenhouses.

Lack of public debate

In public statements, DARPA points out that the Insect Allies program's findings should be used primarily in agriculture, for example to protect crops from drought, frost, flooding, pesticides or disease. However, the authorization procedures for genetically modified organisms would have to be extensively changed in many countries for the use of such technology. In addition, the use of such methods would also massively affect farmers, seed producers and, not least, the public. "Despite occasional press releases by DARPA and the consortia participating in the program, there has been virtually no public debate on the meaning and possible consequences of this technique. Even in professional circles, the program is largely unknown, "says Guy Reeves of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön.

According to the scientists from Plön, Freiburg and Montpellier, a broad social, scientific and legal debate is urgently needed. In their opinion, there are no plausible reasons for using insects to spread genetic material. Above all, the researchers are critical of the use of insects for the distribution of genetic material, because the findings from the Insect Allies program can be modified relatively easily and thus adapted for biological warfare. "For example, genes could be rendered inoperative - which is usually easier than optimizing them. The process does not even need to be developed, it's enough to simplify it to use it as a weapon, "says Reeves. In view of these objections, the DARPA program could raise suspicions that it does not aim for peaceful purposes as required by the B-Weapons Convention. This in turn could lead to other countries themselves developing their own weapons in this area.

Convention on the Prohibition of Biological Weapons

For an international legal assessment, it is crucial whether a biological research program serves only peaceful purposes. Thus, the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological Weapons prohibits in all circumstances the development, production or acquisition of agents and toxins of species and in quantities "which are not justified by preventive, protective or other peaceful purposes". In addition, the Convention prohibits the development or production of "weapons, equipment or equipment intended for the use of such agents or toxins for hostile purposes or in an armed conflict". The authors argue that the insects used to transfer the viruses are prohibited inputs within the meaning of the Convention.

"Because of this far-reaching prohibition, worrying biological research basically requires plausible justification for peaceful purposes. The Insect Allies program could violate the Biological Weapons Convention if DARPA's claims are not plausible. This is particularly true against the background that this is a technology that can easily be used for biological warfare, "explains Silja Vöneky, a lawyer at the University of Freiburg. (sb, hr)