b'Dr. Susie Thompson, NDSU Brings In Speaker Andrea Parish From Wyoming Who Has Trained A Dog To Detect Potato Virus Diseases Using Their NoseThe newest high-tech tool for diag- Andrea started training the dogs forshe said. Females come out working nosingcropdiseaseisalsomanssniffing potato disease in 2019.and seem to do it more quickly. best friend, a dog. Andrea is married to David Parish,Thefirstyearworkingsheput ItsacrewoffivedogstrainedbyownerofAISConsultingLLC,an100,000milesonhervehicleand Andrea Parish of Dayton, Wyoming,agriculturalconsultingbusinesscamper and traveled across the U.S. ownerof"NoseKnowsScouting.based in Allen, Texas, and specializ- from Maine.Parishismarriedtoapotatocropinginpotatoesandoperating consultantandisafriendofDr.throughouttheworld.DavidgrewCuriously, the dogs are more accu-AsuntaSusieThompson,NorthupintheChamberlain,SouthrateidentifyingthePVYinlower DakotaStateUniversityPotatoDakota,area,andgraduatedfromamounts,say3%thanwhenthe Breeder.NorthDakotaStateUniversityinPVY is more prevalent in the seed, at biology, and knew Thompson. She30%. Parishandoneofherdogs,Zora,askedhusbandDavidifdogswere flewintoFargo,NorthDakota,soeverusedinpotatodiseasedetec- The dogs are capable of finding vol-thatZoracouldsniffherwaytion.unteerpotatoplantsinfields,but throughtheNDSUpotatoseedshe prefers to do tubers in seed pota-development program, looking for aDavidsaidno,andshesawantoes. potatodiseaseknownasPotatoopportunity. Dogs can be trained to Virus Y, or PVY.sniff out cadavers and bombs, andInthefield,thedogscandetect COVID-19inhumans,soshefig- infected plants that are 4 inches to 6 The NDSU Potato Breeding Programured they could be used for potatoinches tall, up to 60 feet away. developsnewpotatocultivarsfordisease. grower,industry,andconsumerTheclientfarmsareconcerned adoption,aswellascertifiedseedShegotPVYvirusfromAlexanderabout biosecurity. They provide col-potatoesofallmaterialsintheirKarasev,aUniversityofIdaholars, kennels and other parapherna-breeding pipeline.Extension plant virologist, for train- lia.Afterthevisit,thedogsare ing. It takes only about five days tobathedanddisinfectedafterthe train odor for the receptive dog. Shefarm visit. Zoraconsidereddozensofbags.had a hound that can track for two WhenshefoundPVY,shewouldmiles without stopping but did notAndreanowlivesatDayton, alert, pointing and freezing. want to check potatoes for disease.Wyoming, but she travels and trains Somedogsdontliketheenviron- among properties in South Dakota, Thompsonsaiditisatremendousment.Texas, Maine and Arizona. savings of people and resources that can be aimed at other tasks.I want her to be obedient to odor, 26 POTATO GROWER JULY/AUGUST 2022'