Detection and prevention of fruit tree cancer with special search dogs – method development, implementation, and business benefits

Combating apple canker with search dogs

The project aims to develop, quality assure, and implement an innovative and environmentally sustainable method for early detection of fruit tree cancer with the help of specially trained search dogs. Fruit tree cancer is currently the single largest threat to Swedish and European fruit cultivation and causes significant economic losses through reduced yield, deteriorated quality, and shorter storage time. Since chemical control is prohibited in Sweden and from 2025 also in parts of Europe, the need for early and accurate detection is crucial.

The project builds on a previous leader project that has shown that special search dogs can identify fruit tree cancer, but takes the next step by focusing on detection at an even earlier stage – already on rootstocks and grafting shoots before planting. Through collaboration between fruit growers, the fruit processing industry, researchers from, among others, SLU, dog entrepreneurs, and partners in Sweden and the Netherlands, the unique training method ”The Noseworthy Method” is further developed.

The project's goal is to scientifically verify the method, train and certify more dog teams, and create business benefits for three target groups: fruit growers, fruit processors, and dog entrepreneurs. The result should contribute to reduced spread of fruit tree cancer, increased profitability and sustainability in fruit cultivation, as well as new job opportunities and export possibilities within dog entrepreneurship. The project is carried out as a collaboration project between Leader Östra Skåne and Leader Söderslätt and has the potential to be significant both nationally and internationally.

The board's assessment

Decision date: 2025-12-17

Total selection criteria: 885 points

The board's justification: This innovation and research project has made a very strong impression on the LAG board. The project addresses a well-known and costly problem in fruit cultivation – fruit tree cancer – which often spreads unknowingly through grafting material and leads to significant economic losses, increased labor efforts, and the need for chemical control measures. The project constitutes a further development of a previously conducted project where a fundamental method for identifying infection using search dogs has been developed. In this continuation, the method is further refined, while the focus is broadened to knowledge dissemination and practical application among dog handlers and suppliers of fruit cuttings. By enabling the detection of fruit tree cancer already in the supplier chain, conditions are created to prevent the spread of infection before the material reaches the growers. The preventive approach means that infected cuttings can be sorted out at an early stage, which reduces the risk of the disease establishing itself in the crops. This avoids losses in the form of sick or dead trees, production losses, and unnecessary investments for the growers. At the same time, the project is expected to lead to significant environmental benefits, as the need for chemical treatments to limit the infection can be significantly reduced. Overall, the project has the potential to be groundbreaking by introducing an innovative, effective, and environmentally sustainable method for disease control, with great transferability and benefit for several stakeholders in the fruit cultivation industry.