Chinese scholar at University of Michigan charged with trying to smuggle a pathogen that could be used for agricultural terrorism

Yunqing Jian , along with her boyfriend, Zunyong Liu , charged with trying to smuggle a biological pathogen into the United States .

The pathogen, called Fusarium graminearum, causes “head blight,” a disease that can wipe out wheat, barley, maize, and rice crops.

Jian ’s boyfriend was caught with the pathogen by Customs and Border Protection officers at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport .

Jian will make her first court appearance on Tuesday afternoon .