Powdery Mildew of Strawberry

Symptoms

White powdery patches on the leaf underside that expand and coalesce, upward-curling leaf margins, reddish-brown blotches on some cultivars, aborted or malformed flowers, and fuzzy fungal growth on fruit seeds.

Favorable conditions

• •Moderate to high humidity with temperatures 15.5-27°C
• •Dry conditions between periods of high humidity favor spore production
• •Protected culture (greenhouses, tunnels) intensifies disease

Management

1. 1Rotate systemic fungicides (myclobutanil, propiconazole, quinoxyfen) with strobilurins
2. 2Apply at first sign of disease since curative action is limited
3. 3Avoid excess nitrogen and overhead irrigation
4. 4Remove old infected leaves at renovation

Treatment details