Project Overview
Optimizing IPM Tools to Manage Anthracnose Crown Rot of Strawberry in the Northeast
Commodities
- Fruits: berries (strawberries)
Target Pests
- Target Pests: fungus, small fruit insects, weeds & diseases
Practices
- Pest Management: chemical control, exclusion, genetic resistance, host resistance, pesticide application timing, precision pesticide use
Proposal abstract:
Strawberries are a key crop in northeastern agriculture but require significant investment for field establishment and maintenance. Historically, cold northern winters have protected the region from many pathogens, but in 2023 an outbreak of strawberry anthracnose crown rot (ACR) in Connecticut, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum siamense, led to major crop losses. While common in the southeastern US, ACR poses new challenges in the northeast due to different farming practices and the susceptibility of regional varieties. The first step in addressing this knowledge gap is to assess the utility of pre-plant fungicide dips as a simple and cost-effective method to eliminate/reduce pathogen populations in nursery material as a form of exclusion. The next critical step is the selection of tolerant and/or resistant strawberry varieties, given that genetic resistance is an incredibly effective disease management, but no information on ACR susceptibility is available for commercially available northern varieties. Finally, the year in which serious disease was first observed in Connecticut coincided with outbreak of climate change-driven wildfires. Preliminary studies have shown that the pathogen exclusively sporulates in darkness, raising questions about the role that increased rain and wildfire events which block the sun may play on the effective management of ACR. To assess this, trials will be conducted to assess the severity and spread of ACR under both full and low-light conditions. While ACR has not been widely reported outside of Connecticut as of yet, it may be an existential threat to regional strawberry production if proper IPM practices are not evaluated and adopted before the disease becomes endemic.
Project objectives from proposal:
a) Evaluate the susceptibility of elite strawberry varieties to anthracnose crown rot
b) Optimize pre-plant fungicide dips to control nursery introduction of the disease
c) Evaluate the role that light plays in the spread of ACR under field conditions.
e) Disseminate information to growers and regional extension professionals through fact sheets, talks, and demonstrations.
