"If we administered it at the time the animals were exposed to anthrax or even waited until their symptoms developed, we could improve survival in rabbits and monkeys," she said.

It is grouped with the world's most lethal potential biological weapons agents, sharing "select agent" status with the pathogens that cause smallpox, anthrax and plague.

This species is the latest generation of hybrid varieties, high resistance to blight, anthrax, virus disease, disease, in the old muggle area disease planted especially prominent.