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Sniffer Dogs Key to Pest-Free and Eco-Friendly Vineyards

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Rithani

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5 min read

16 Jan, 2025

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Sniffer dogs have long been used for detecting bombs, illegal drugs, and even cancer. This superpower of theirs is now being used to protect vineyards against pests like the leafroll 3 virus, and mealybugs. These are the two main threats that vineyards face. 


Humans are known to have around 6 million olfactory receptors while dogs have been blessed with about 300 million olfactory receptors.



Image source: Pixabay/Osmoss


The pilot study used four sniffer dogs: Malbec, Sauvi B, Cab and Zinny.


Each of them has a distinct task. Sauvi B, an English Springer Spaniel, and Malbec, a Black Labrador, search for mealybugs. Leafroll virus is detected by Zinny, an English Springer Spaniel, and Cab, a German Shorthaired Pointer.


According to the pilot project, the detector canines identified leafroll 3 viruses on average 93.4% of the time.


Additionally, the dogs almost always ruled out the existence of the virus. In 97.3% of cases, they found vine mealybugs, and in almost 100% of cases, they ruled out an infection.


Image source: Pexels/Ravi Kant


The results of the pilot program was presented by Stephanie Bolton who is a researcher and sustainable winegrowing director at Lodi Winegrape Commission, at the annual Sustainable Ag Expo & International Sustainable Winegrowing Summit.


These canines have the potential to be a vital tool in sustainable vineyard management.


Their super-canine sense of smell when integrated with pest management provides a solution that is both economical and environmental friendly.


Image source: Pexels/Brett Jordan



These viruses causes the quality of the crop to deteriorate and brings down the quantity of the yield significantly.


These pests proliferate quickly, and birds, cutting blades, and harvesting tools frequently hasten their spread.


Vineyards can detect infestations early and stop them from developing when canines are on the case.


With the help of sniffer dogs, the grape industry can reduce their dependence on harmful pesticides. 


Image source: Pexels/Pixabay


The transition to more sustainable farming methods is further supported by the training of canines to identify other invasive organisms, such as powdery mildew.


The research received a $428,000 grant from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.


The sniffer dogs were carefully chosen from Hungary and Canada and trained at Lisa Finke's Canine Detection Services in Fresno, California. 


The Way Forward

As the study progresses and provides promising results, there is a rising interest in deploying sniffer dogs in vineyards. 


Dogs are once again proving that they are super-beings by assisting farmers in sustainable farming techniques and protecting their crops thus promoting the welfare of the environment and the humans consuming these crops.


Also Read l Dogs' Super Snouts and AI Make Early Cancer Detection Possible

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