Dog sleuths sniff out crop disease hitting citrus trees

WASHINGTON (AP) Scientists have trained dogs to sniff out a disease that's harming citrus trees in Florida, California and Texas.

The dogs can detect citrus greening disease several weeks to years before signs are visible on the leaves and roots of orange, grapefruit and lemon trees.

Research published Monday says the dogs are faster, cheaper and more accurate than people collecting hundreds of leaves for analysis.

Citrus greening is caused by a bacteria that is spread by a tiny insect that feeds on citrus trees. Once a tree is infected, there's no cure.

The disease has also hit citrus crops in Central and South America and Asia.