Fusarium wilt on strawberries

Strawberry Fusarium wilt kills plants quickly and spreads invisibly through runner propagation. A grower can unknowingly plant an entire bed with infected runners and lose the whole planting within a season. The pattern -- sudden collapse of individual plants during warm weather, often starting.

Strawberry Fusarium wilt kills plants quickly and spreads invisibly through runner propagation. A grower can unknowingly plant an entire bed with infected runners and lose the whole planting within a season. The pattern — sudden collapse of individual plants during warm weather, often starting with one or two and spreading to neighbors — is distinctive once you know what you're looking for.

I don't grow strawberries at my current Long Island property, so this guide is sourced from University Extension research and USDA pathology resources.

The pathogen

Fusarium wilt of strawberry is caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae (Fof), a host-specific strain distinct from the one infecting tomatoes. Per UC IPM, Fof was first documented in California in 2004 and has since spread to strawberry production regions across the US. It is considered a serious emerging disease with quarantine significance in some states.

The pathogen colonizes the plant's vascular system, blocking water and nutrient transport from the crown.