Focus on a major issue in strawberry cultivation: Botrytis / gray mold

DESCRIPTION:

Botrytis, commonly known as gray mold, is a disease of primary economic importance in strawberries. It is caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea.

FAVORABLE FACTORS:

The disease develops if the humidity is very high or even saturated, and the temperatures are between 15 and 20 ° C.

SYMPTOMS:

The disease manifests itself at the end of flowering, on naturally dried petals. These necrotize and become covered with brown spots and gray down, hence the name gray mold. The fruits are then affected with the same symptoms, then they dry up and mummify.

IMPACTS AND DAMAGES:

Loss of returns and economic losses.

BIOLOGY:

Botrytis cinerea can invest all dead plant tissue. When conditions are favorable, the spores are released and contaminate the flowers and buds. The fungus spreads through wind and rain (or water) and through infected personnel or farm equipment.

PROPHYLACTIC MEASURES:

Crawl space and disinfection before implantation, rotation, healthy and resistant plant material, greenhouse ventilation, removal of plant debris, leaf stripping.