Strawberries
This page provides a list of links to supporting extension and outreach programs for strawberries in the U.S.
North Carolina State University Strawberry Portal:
https://strawberries.ces.ncsu.edu
Complete Management Guides:
NC State Extension: NC Strawberries
The homepage for NC State’s Extension for Strawberries.
North Carolina Strawberries: Grower Information
Homepage for the North Carolina Strawberries that provides resources for growers on strawberry production. Resources include; Safety/Food Safety/Crisis Management Resources, Publications, Pre-Plant and Planting, Pest and Disease Management, Other Production Info, Newsletter Articles, Harvesting and Marketing, Frost Protection, Fertility and Irrigation, and Economics for strawberries.
Sustainable Practices for Plasticulture Strawberry Production in the Southeast
This publication will outline sustainable management practices that are appropriate for strawberry growers in the Southeast, the benefits of these practices, and how they may be incorporated into plasticulture production systems.
Southeast Regional Strawberry Plasticulture Production Guide (pdf)
This publication provides an overview of the factors that growers in the Mid-South and Deep South should consider before deciding to use the plasticulture system for growing strawberries. It also describes recommended practices for the different stages of plasticulture production, from pre-planting through harvest.
Strawberry Plasticulture with Mark Hoffmann, NC State Extension Small Fruits Specialist (video)
A video on the production of strawberries using plasticulture.
NC State Extension: Strawberry Specific Resources
This guide provides guidelines for food safety messages for consumers and workers/managers. It also provides a webinar designed to assist growers in discussions with their clients, whether school tours, community supported agriculture (CSA) members or u-pick customers, on food safety practices that they are implementing on their own farm and the role that each of them play in keeping our food supply fresh and safe.
Expanding Strawberry Production
A $3 million grant from Walmart to the University of Arkansas’ Center for Agricultural and Rural Sustainability should help strawberry growers across the country be more productive.
Penn State Extension: Strawberry Production
A guide on the production of strawberries with information on marketing, strawberry plant growth, site selection, production systems, harvest and post-harvest handling, pest management, sample budgets, local regulations, and risk management of strawberries.
Agriculture Marketing Resource Center: Strawberries
This guide provides an introduction and description of marketing channels, production, management, financial aspects, and marketing and production of strawberries.
Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs: Field Strawberry Production
A guide on the strawberry plant, fruit, site location, pre-planting treatment, growing systems, early strawberries, harvesting, post harvest care, diseases and pests, and essential machinery for strawberries.
Strawberries 101: A Production Guide
A guide provided by produce grower on cultivars that have been primarily developed for field production but are starting to be perfected for controlled environments.
Runner management is important in any June-bearing strawberry planting. Learn about the reasons to manage runners and determine timing. An experienced Minnesota strawberry farmer shares his experience and tips on managing runners.
Homegrown | Spring is for North Carolina Strawberries
Discover the food, landscapes and agriculture of North Carolina at http://cals.ncsu.edu/Homegrown.
University of Kentucky Extension: Plasticulture Strawberries (pdf)
This guide provides an introduction and information on marketing, market outlook, production considerations, and economic considerations for plasticulture production for strawberries.
Cornell Fruit Resources: Strawberry Production
A list of resources on general production, organic production, site selection and preparation, cultivar selection, nutrient management, water management, plant growth and development pollination, winter mulching, home growing, and other.
University of Minnesota Extension: Growing Strawberries in the Home Garden
A guide on the types of strawberries, choosing strawberry plants, planting and caring for young plants, how to keep strawberries healthy and productive, managing pests and diseases, and strawberry diseases.
Freeze/Frost Damage:
NC State Extension: Frost Protection
A list of resources on frost protection from the NC State Extension page.
Frost Protection in Strawberries (pdf)
A publication from Cornell University on the effects of frost damage on strawberry plants including the stages of development, flower temperature, use of row covers, and use of water.
Ontario Crop IPM: Frost Injury
A guide on the three types of frost that can cause damage to strawberry plants; radiation frost, radiation freeze and advective freeze, including identification, what it can be confused with, scouting notes, and management notes.
Irrigation For Frost Protection Of Strawberries
A guide on irrigation for frost protection including a summary, introduction, symptoms of frost injury, critical temperatures for frost injury, understanding heat transfer, energy budgets, important facts about weather, irrigation for frost protection, row covers, and related links.
Assessing Spring Freeze Damage to Strawberries
The record high temperatures of March and early April 2012, accelerated strawberry growth and development about 3 weeks earlier than normal for that time of year. Temperatures dipping to the mid-20’s during the second week of April hit when many strawberry flowers and developing fruit were vulnerable to freeze damage. Dr. Bruce Bordelon, Purdue Extension Small Fruit Specialist, addresses the damage and how to assess the damage days after the cold event.
Strawberry Pest Management:
A product of the Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium (www.smallfruits.org). Recommendations are based on information from the manufacturer’s label and performance data from research and extension field tests. Because environmental conditions and grower application methods vary widely, suggested use does not imply that performance of the pesticide will always conform to the safety and pest control standards indicated by experimental data.
Integrated Pest Management: Strawberry Diagnostic Key
This guide provides characteristics for different strawberry pests to help identify strawberry diseases.
Pest Management Strategic Plan For Strawberries in FL, NC, SC, VA (pdf)
The workgroup developed a prioritized list of critical research, regulatory, and educational needs for the southeastern strawberry industry.
NC State Extension Strawberry Insect Pests
This guide provides a list of resources on the different kinds of insect pests that affect strawberry plants.
Management of Strawberry Insect and Mite Pests in Greenhouse and Field Crops
This chapter will summarize some of the key pests that can severely impact strawberry production with integrated management guidelines to curtail pest’s activities during a production season.
General Strawberry Disease Identification and Control:
Pest Management Guidelines: Strawberry
Authors from PennState discuss the symptoms and management of Powdery Mildew in strawberries.
NC State Extension Diseases and Pests
This guide provides a list of resources on the different kinds of diseases that affect strawberry plants.
NC State Extension: Strawberry Diagnostic Key
The Strawberry Diagnostic Key is a database driven identification tool. This key will help you visually identify the disorder.
Strawberry Diseases: The 5 most common strawberry diseases in NC
You will have one of those for sure! This video is the first in a series of videos on Strawberry diseases. Mark Hoffmann explains the 5 most common diseases in strawberries and gives recommendations for online resources on disease management, ready to use.
Weather-Based Forecasting Tool to Manage Gray Mold and Anthracnose
The Strawberry Fruit Infection Model, a weather-based forecasting tool, will help growers time fungicide sprays based on the weather to decrease fungicide dependence (fewer applications), reduce the risk of generating resistant pathogen populations and improve control (less disease).
New Treatments For Strawberry Diseases
Researchers at North Carolina State University (NCSU) will use funding from a new USDA grant to help southern strawberry growers battle some common plant diseases.
Ohio State University Extension: Strawberry Leaf Diseases
A guide on leaf spot, leaf scorch, and leaf blight of strawberries. Also provides information on methods of control for all three.
University of Illinois IPM: Strawberry Leaf Diseases
A guide on the symptoms, disease cycle, control, and disease resistance of strawberry cultivars commonly grown in Illinois of leaf spot, leaf scorch, and leaf blight in strawberries.
NC Strawberries: Major Strawberry Diseases (pdf)
A guide on the symptoms and signs, disease cycle, and control for botrytis/gray mold, anthracnose, phytophthora crown rot, and bacterial angular leaf spot in strawberries.
University of Florida IFAS Extension: Strawberry Diseases
A guide on the symptoms, development and spread, control, and disease prevention for botrytis fruit rot and powdery mildew in strawberries.
Penn State Extension: Strawberry Disease – Fruit Rot Protection Begins at Bloom
A guide on fungicide efficacy, spray guidelines to manage fungicide resistance, and non synthetic chemicals for fruit rots in strawberries.
University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension: Strawberry Fruit Rots (pdf)
A fact sheet providing information on symptoms and signs, cause and disease development, and fruit rot disease management for gray mold, leather rot, anthracnose fruit rot in strawberries.
Colorado State University Extension: Strawberry Diseases
A fact sheet on preventing stress, and the identification and control for red stele root rot, black root rot, leaf spot, fruit rot and blossom blight, powdery mildew, and leaf scorch in strawberries.
Leaf Scorch:
This guide provides an introduction and description of symptoms and signs, disease cycle, management, pathogens, and diagnostic procedure for leaf scorch in strawberries provided by NC State Extension.
Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks: Strawberry (Fragaria spp.)-Leaf Scorch
A guide on the causes, symptoms, cultural control, and chemical control of leaf scorch in strawberries.
A guide on the identification, diseases it is confused with, period of activity, scouting notes, and thresholds for leaf scorch in strawberries.
A research study where isolates of D. earliana from strawberry plantations in and near Niagara Peninsula were compared and the effect of environmental conditions on the reaction of different age groups and varieties studied.
Botrytis Crown Rot
Gray Mold / Crown Rot of Strawberry
This guide provides an introduction and description of symptoms and signs, disease cycle, and management for botrytis crown rot in strawberries.
A research study on natamycin, a laboratory investigated fungicide, found to be an effective treatment for crown rot in strawberries.
Botrytis/Gray Mold
Botrytis Fruit Rot / Gray Mold on Strawberry
This guide provides a description of disease, symptoms and signs, disease cycle, management, pathogens, and diagnostic procedure for botrytis/gray mold in strawberries.
California Strawberry Commission: Botrytis Fruit Rot of Strawberry (pdf)
A guide on the symptoms and signs, causal organism, disease cycle, and management of botrytis rot in strawberries.
University of California IPM: Botrytis Fruit Rot
A guide on the symptoms and signs, and management through cultural control, organically acceptable methods, monitoring and treatment decisions, and fungicide resistance for botrytis fruit rot in strawberries.
Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks: Strawberry (Fragaria spp.)-Gray Mold (Fruit Rot)
A guide on the cause, symptoms, cultural control, chemical control, and biological control for gray mold in strawberries.
Strawberry Gray Mold: An Animated Disease Cycle (video)
Learn more about gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) on strawberries: what it looks like, where it comes from, and how it spreads. Most importantly, learn some tips and tricks for more effectively managing this fungus in the field.
Strawberry Gray Mold Timelapse (video)
Gray mold (caused by Botrytis spp.) is one of the most important plant diseases worldwide. Watch a week of infection unfold in a few seconds as the fungus produces a darkened soft rot and then strands of fungus wrap themselves around each berry and turn gray.
Angular Leaf Spot
Angular Leaf Spot of Strawberry
This guide provides an introduction and description of symptoms and signs, disease cycle, management, pathogens, and diagnostic procedure for angular leaf spot in strawberries.
Penn State Extension: Strawberry Disease – Angular Leaf Spot
A guide on angular leaf spot accompanied by images of angular leaf spot in strawberries.
University of California IPM: Angular Leaf Spot
A guide on the symptoms and signs and management through organically acceptable methods for angular leaf spot in strawberries.
Rutger Cooperative Extension: Angular Leaf Spot in Strawberries
A guide with information and images on angular leaf spot in strawberries.
University of Florida IFAS Extension: Angular Leaf Spot of Strawberries
A guide on pathogens and symptoms, disease development and spread, and control of angular leaf spot in strawberries.
Wisconsin Horticulture: Angular Leaf Spot of Strawberry
A guide on what angular leaf spot is, what it looks like, where it comes from, how to save a plant with angular leaf spot, and how to avoid problems with it in the future.
A research study that found X. fragariae transmission was via infected maternal plants, precipitation, and sprinkler irrigation systems.
MSU Extension: Watch Out For Angular Leaf Spot in Strawberries
An article providing information on angular leaf spot in strawberries in the presence of cool, wet, and freezing weather.
Queensland Government: Strawberry Angular Leaf Spot
A guide on the cause, alternative names, description, diseases it is confused with, distribution, hosts, life cycle, impacts, how it spreads, monitoring and action, prevention, and legal requirements for angular leaf spot in strawberries.
Xanthomonas Fragariae (Angular Leaf Spot)
A guide on the identity, taxonomic tree, description, distribution, risk of introduction, hosts/species affected, host plants and other plants affected, growth stages, symptoms, list of symptoms/signs, biology and ecology, impact, detection and inspection, prevention and control, references, and distribution maps of angular leaf spot in strawberries.
Phomopsis
Phomopsis Leaf Blight of Strawberry
This guide provides an introduction and description of symptoms and signs, disease cycle, management, pathogens, and diagnostic procedure for phomopsis leaf blight in strawberries.
Cornell University Extension: Phomopsis Leaf Blight of Strawberry
A guide on phomopsis in strawberries accompanied by images of the disease.
Ohio State University Extension: Phomopsis Leaf Blight and Fruit Rot of Strawberry
A guide on the symptoms, causal organism and disease cycle, and disease management for phomopsis in strawberries.
Anthracnose/Colletotrichum Crown Rot
Anthracnose Crown Rot of Strawberry
A guide provides an introduction and description of symptoms and signs, disease cycle, management, pathogens, and diagnostic procedures of anthracnose/colletotrichum crown rot in strawberries.
Colletotrichum Crown Rot (Anthracnose Crown Rot) of Strawberries (pdf)
A guide on causal agent and symptoms, disease development and spread, and disease management of anthracnose crown rot in strawberries provided by the University of Florida’s Extension.
Strawberry Diagnostics: Anthracnose Crown Rot – Advanced Symptoms (video)
Frank Louws, Plant Pathologist at NC State, diagnoses advanced symptoms of anthracnose crown rot on strawberry. This video was produced as part of the Strawberry Diagnostic project led by Brian Whipker of NC State University.
Strawberry Diagnostics: Anthracnose Crown Rot – Initial Infection (video)
Frank Louws, Plant Pathologist at NC State, diagnoses the initial infection symptoms of anthracnose crown rot on strawberry. This video was produced as part of the Strawberry Diagnostic project led by Brian Whipker of NC State University.
Anthracnose/Colletotrichum Fruit Rot
Anthracnose Fruit Rot of Strawberry
This guide provides an introduction and description of symptoms and signs, disease cycle, management, pathogens, and diagnostic procedure for anthracnose in strawberries.
Anthracnose on Strawberry: Animated Disease Cycle (video)
Learn more about anthracnose fruit rot (Colletotrichum acutatum) on strawberries: what it looks like, where it comes from, and how it spreads. Most importantly, learn some tips and tricks for more effectively managing this fungus in the field. There are two different anthracnose diseases of strawberry: anthracnose fruit rot and anthracnose crown rot. This video focuses on anthracnose fruit rot.
Strawberry Anthracnose Timelapse (video)
Anthracnose (caused by Colletotrichum spp.) is a major strawberry killer worldwide. Watch a week of infection unfold in a few seconds as dark spots form on the berry and then become craters exploding with orange fungal spores.
Common Leaf Spot
Common Leaf Spot of Strawberry
This guide provides an introduction and description of symptoms and signs, disease cycle, management, pathogens, and diagnostic procedure for common leaf spot in strawberries.
Wisconsin Horticulture: Common Leaf Spot of Strawberry
A guide on what common leaf spot is, what it looks like, where it comes from, how to save a plant with common leaf spot, and how to avoid problems with it in the future.
University of California IPM: Common Leaf Spot
A guide on the symptoms and signs and management of common leaf spot in strawberries.
Cornell University Extension: Leaf Spot of Strawberry
A guide on leaf spot in strawberries accompanied by images of the disease.
Black Root Rot
A guide provides an introduction and description of symptoms and signs, pathogens, and management of black root rot in strawberries.
Ohio State University Extension: Black Root Rot of Strawberry
A guide on symptoms, potential causes, and control of black root rot in strawberries.
University of Connecticut IPM: Black Root Rot of Strawberries
A guide on the aboveground and belowground symptoms and disease management of black root rot in strawberries.
Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbook: Strawberry (Fragaria spp.)-Black Root Rot Complex
A guide on the cause, symptoms, cultural control, and chemical control of black root rot in strawberries.
Michigan State University Extension: Brrrr, Black Root Rot in Strawberries
A guide on what black root rot is, what causes it, and black root rot management in strawberries.
Cornell University Extension: Black Root Rot of Strawberry
A guide providing information on black root rot in strawberries accompanied by images of the disease.
Iowa State University Extension: Black Root Rot of Strawberry
A guide providing information and management recommendations for black root rot in strawberries.
Penn State Extension: Strawberry Disease – Black Root Rot
A guide on the symptoms and disease cycle and disease management for black root rot in strawberries.
Strawberry Diagnostics: Black Root Rot Field Diagnosis (video)
Frank Louws, Plant Pathologist at NC State, diagnoses the black root rot on strawberry. This video was produced as part of the Strawberry Diagnostic project led by Brian Whipker of NC State University.
West Virginia University Extension: Strawberry Black Root Rot Complex
A guide on the causes and management of black root rot in strawberries.
Utah State University IPM: Black Root Rot of Strawberries
A guide providing a description as well as information on healthy roots, symptoms, cause, and control of black root rot in strawberries.
Strawberry Disorder: Black Root Rot (pdf)
A guide on symptoms, causes, and prevention and control of balck root rot in strawberries provided by the University of Wisconsin Extension.
Ontario Crop IPM: Black Root Rot
A guide on the scientific names, identification, diseases confused with, period activity, and scouting notes for black root rot in strawberries.
Strawberry Black Root Rot (pdf)
A guide on the cause, contributing factors, and disease management of black root rot in strawberries.
Control of Strawberry Black Root Rot with Compost Socks
A research study conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture that describes for the first time a novel, raised-bed growing method that uses 100% mature compost as an alternative to fumigation.
Phytophthora Crown Rot
Phytophthora Crown Rot of Strawberry
A guide provides an introduction and description of symptoms and signs, disease cycle, management, pathogens, and diagnostic procedures of phytophthora crown rot in strawberries.
University of Florida IFAS Extension: Phytophthora Crown Rot of Strawberry
A guide on the causal agents and symptoms, disease development and spread, and control of phytophthora crown rot in strawberries.
Ontario Ministry of Agricultural, Food, and Rural Affairs: Phytophthora Crown of Strawberries
A guide providing information on phytophthora crown rot in strawberries.
Spider Mites
Strawberry Diagnostics: Using a Mite Brush to Sample for Two-Spotted Spider Mites (video)
This video demonstrates how to use a mite brush machine to sample spider mites from strawberry leaves provided by NC Small Fruit and Tobacco IPM.
Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbook Strawberry-Twospotted Spider Mite
A guide providing a pest description, crop damage, biology and life history, scouting and thresholds, biological control, cultural control, and chemical control for home and commercial use for spider mites in strawberries.
Managing Spider Mites in Strawberries
A guide on the identification, monitoring, and treatment for spider mites in strawberries.
Hydroponic Production
Best Crops for Hydroponics: Strawberries (video)
In this video, Dr. Nate Storey of Bright Agrotech discusses the specifics of what hydroponic growers need to know when growing strawberries in their systems, vertical or not.
Arizona College of Agricultural and Life Sciences: Hydroponic Strawberry Information Website
This website will serve the current and future greenhouse growers to introduce strawberries as value-added crop in the desert southwestern US and beyond. The key information presented here is from our project at the University of Arizona as well as relevant literature.
Comparison of Hydroponic Systems in the Strawberry Production (pdf)
A research paper on the different types of hydroponic systems and which is more effective for strawberry production.
Greenhouse Production
The Challenges of Growing Strawberries in the Greenhouse (pdf)
The purpose of this article is to identify the kinds of information needed to make a ‘‘smooth’’ transition from field to greenhouse for alternative crops, like strawberries, grown during nontraditional seasons.
Maximize Your Strawberry Harvest with Greenhouse-Growing
An article on how to maximize strawberry harvest using heat, light & humidity, watering and feeding, and disease and pest prevention.
Strawberry Greenhouse Production | Volunteer Gardener (video)
Tammy Algood learns the science behind a strawberry production operation that expects to harvest 33,000 pounds of berries during the spring.
High Tunnel Production
Dr. Barclay Poling, strawberry specialist with N.C. State University, introduces viewers to the strawberry high tunnel research taking place at the Piedmont Research Station in Salisbury. Dr. Poling and Andy Myers, research operations manager at the station, discuss high tunnel construction, strawberry production and preliminary results from the winter crop in 2009.
University of Kentucky: High Tunnel Strawberries (pdf)
A guide providing an introduction to high tunnel production as well as information on marketing, market outlook, production considerations, and economic considerations for high tunnel production of strawberries.
Growing Strawberries in High Tunnels in Missouri (pdf)
A guide providing an introduction to high tunnel production as well as information on strawberry culture, fertilizer and soil fertility, spacing and planting, drip irrigation, row covers, pollination and fruit set, pest management, harvest, and economic analysis for high tunnel production of strawberries.
For Commercial Strawberry High Tunnel Growers (video)
Priced comparable to a new forklift, this machine is only for large commercial growers. If you have any questions regarding this machine please call 519-322-1072 or vist 1634 Seacliff Dr. Kingsville Ontario.
Purdue University Extension: Evaluation of Strawberry Varieties for High Tunnel Production
A trial conducted by Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center to test yield, quality and harvest period of ten strawberry varieties.
Day-neutral Strawberries for High Tunnel Production in the Central United States
This study investigates the feasibility of spring-planted day-neutral strawberry cultivars in a high tunnel production system in Kansas. Furthermore, the goals of this report are to identify day-neutral cultivars that are successful in this production system and investigate the utility of evaporative cooling, as they relate to fruit yield and marketability as well as incidence of gray mold (caused by Botrytis cinerea).
Strawberry Fields Forever – High Tunnels Expand Growing Season (video)
Growing strawberries in what are known as high tunnel systems is allowing growers to expand their season and meet the demand for more fresh, locally grown berries
AR Strawberry Production Video 3: Planting Strawberry Plugs in High Tunnels (video)
In this video, viewers will learn how to plant strawberry plugs into raised beds in high tunnels. This strawberry project is part of the National Strawberry Sustainability Initiative (NSSI), a grants program funded by the Walmart Foundation and administered by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Center for Agricultural and Rural Sustainability.
Utah State University Extension: High Tunnel Strawberry Production for Early Spring Harvest (pdf)
A guide that provides an introduction to high tunnel production as well as information on planting system, plant selection, plant type, planting date, establishment and fall care, winter care, tunnel management, ventilation, fertilization, pests, research results, and economics of high tunnel production for strawberries.
Kansas State High Tunnel Video Series
A web page providing links to a video series on high tunnel production including a high tunnel overview, designing a high tunnel, what to plant, basic management considerations, intensive management, and resources.
Low Tunnel Production
Low Tunnel Strawberry Production Guide (pdf)
This guide is intended to provide an introduction to low tunnel systems and to share construction and management tips for low tunnel strawberry production. Information pertains to the use of low tunnels during spring, summer, and fall months.
Protected Culture For Strawberries Using Low Tunnels (pdf)
A research article on the effect of protecting strawberry cultures on strawberry production using low tunnels done at Cornell University.
A research paper on determining the effects of experimental ultraviolet blocking and transmitting plastics on light and microclimate in low tunnel environments and assess differences in fruit yield and quality in the day-neutral strawberry cultivar Albion in an organic production system. This research was conducted on U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified organic land over 2 years, in 2016 and 2017.
Benefits of Growing Strawberries Under Low Tunnels (video)
This video discusses the key benefits of growing strawberries under plastic low tunnels in cold climates of North America. These benefits are directly supported by data and conclusions gathered from multiple studies by researchers on the TunnelBerries team. This video also emphasizes the limitations of these studies and when growing under low tunnels is and is not appropriate.
Growing Day Neutral Strawberries Under Low Tunnels: An Introduction (video)
Growing day neutral strawberries under low tunnels is a new method for commercial production in Minnesota. University of Minnesota Research Scientist, Steve Poppe, introduces the system and shares some of the basics.