Commercial strawberry growers across the southeastern United States are reeling after a new fungal disease has ravished their crops. Plant pathologists said neopestalotiopsis or neopest disease has destroyed nearly half of all strawberry plants in Kentucky and surrounding states. The fungal disease affects a strawberry plant’s ability to yield fruit and often results in the death of the plant.
Dr. Nicole Gauthier, a professor of plant pathology at the University of Kentucky, said the disease has already cost many Kentucky farmers their livelihoods.
“This year I know that in Kentucky and neighboring states, we’ve seen growers lose 50% of their plants to neopest,” said Gauthier. “It was a really tough year for our strawberry industry, but pathologists are working on it.”
Gauthier added that the disease was originally spread by people planting new plants in 2017. These infected plants then spread neopest to surrounding plants in the same field creating a rapid outbreak across the southeast. She said that until more resistant breeds of plants can be bred, farmers can take measures to further prevent the spread of the disease.
“At this point, training and knowledge. So, early identification makes sure if we do have infection it does not leave the facility,” said Gauthier. “That’s something I think is happening in a lot of our cutting and plug producers. Just being really good at identification, gouting, sanitation.”
Currently farmers are using fungicide as a preventative measure to protect their plants. They are also encouraged to use cultural practices to prevent the disease from being introduced to their crops. This includes working infected fields last and always sanitizing their farming equipment and tools after leaving those fields.