By Clint Thompson
Alabama’s strawberry season could have gone better. The presence of Neopestalotiopsis ensured that Alabama’s crop would not be as successful as growers would have liked.
Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University, talked about the season and the disappointment felt as a result.
Neopestalotiopsis has been a danger to strawberry plants every year since it was first discovered during the 2018–19 season on five farms in Florida. The disease’s initial discovery was attributed to one nursery source in North Carolina. More than 20 farms experienced the disease during the 2019–20 season after it was attributed to two nursery sources early in the season in North Carolina and Canada.
It can lead to severe leaf spotting and blighting under favorable weather conditions, specifically during extended periods of wetness.