Gray mold infection causes strawberry fruit to be unmarketable.

You know that gray mold, also known as Botrytis rot, can decrease marketable yield in strawberries and destroy profit potential. It can affect all areas of strawberry production, causing challenges not only in the field, but also during storage, transport, and marketing of strawberry fruit.

What causes gray mold in strawberries?

The disease gets its name from the visible fuzzy, gray-colored mold that appears in masses on strawberry crops. It infects all parts of the plant and thrives best in warm, wet conditions. However, the most economic damage occurs when flowers and fruit are affected, occasionally resulting in yield losses greater than 50%, according to the University of Florida Agricultural Department.

High temperatures combined with wet conditions are optimal for gray mold to develop in strawberry fields. Recent weather conditions and hurricanes in the Southeast region may be cause for concern in these areas.

Precautions must be taken sooner rather than later to prevent this disease from affecting your strawberry yield potential this season.

How to treat and manage gray mold

The University of Florida recommends gray mold management by cultural and chemical methods, including the removal of diseased fruit from under the plant canopy to reduce the spread of infection. You should also consider preventative applications of an effective fungicide spray to control gray mold infections in your strawberries.

Under intense gray mold pressure, Miravis^® Prime fungicide can recharge your spray programs and help produce more marketable strawberries. Miravis Prime sets the standard for disease control, powered by one of the highest-performing succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) molecules available – Adepidyn^® technology (FRAC group 7) and fludioxonil (FRAC group 12).

In a trial testing strawberry disease sensitivity to botrytis (gray mold), strawberries treated with Miravis Prime fungicide produced fewer infected fruit than competitors. LSD test used to indicate the statistical significance and differences. Variety: Florida radiance. University of Florida – Gulf Coast Research & Education Center; 2018-2019.

In addition to gray mold, Miravis Prime can also help control powdery mildew and anthracnose in strawberries. It remains stable on the leaf surface for even distribution and disease protection throughout the growing season and post-harvest transit.

Learn more about how Miravis Prime can help you manage and prevent the spread of damaging diseases in your strawberry fields today. For additional information, reach out to your Syngenta representative.

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