New Resources for Strawberry Growers - 2024
by Aaron Cato, Taunya Ernst, Ryan Keiffer, Jason Davis, and Amanda McWhirt - March 15, 2024
Two new factsheets have been produced with Strawberry growers in mind for the Southeast.
Their recent release comes at the right time, as strawberry plants in Arkansas are
flowering. Impacts from fruit rots like Botrytis and anthracnose (figure 1) can be very economically damaging for strawberry growers. The need for a sustainable
fungicide spray program and an efficient way to apply those fungicides is critical
to success and are the topics of the two new factsheets developed by the University
of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture specialists and staff.
Figure 1. Strawberry fruit infected with Botrytis (grey or white mold) and anthracnose (brown
sunken lesions). Photo by Aaron Cato.
Cultural practices combined with a properly timed fungicide spray program can effectively
protect strawberry plants from infection and prevent yield losses from Botrytis and
anthracnose. The first factsheet will help you learn more about conventional/organic
strawberry fungicides, weather considerations, and fruit rots. Please view or download
the factsheet at the link below:
Developing a Sustainable Fungicide Spray Program to Prevent Fruit Rot in Strawberry
for the Southeast
One often overlooked aspect of a fungicide protection program is the actual application
of the fungicide itself. Spray coverage is crucial to insure adequate protection of
the plants, flowers, and fruit you're trying to protect. Not all agricultural sprayers
can achieve adequate spray coverage on strawberry plants, especially once the canopies
become dense in the late spring. Although many commercial sprayers exist on the market,
they are often designed for large acreage, or are air-blast sprayers that were designed
for other cropping systems. Many new and experienced strawberry growers struggle to
find an economical solution that will work on small acreage. The second factsheet
will demonstrate how to build a cost efficient and effective pesticide sprayer for
commercial plasticulture strawberry operations (Figure 2) .
Figure 2. Strawberry sprayer with drop nozzles attached to an existing tractor mounted boom
sprayer. By changing the hose connections, you retain the ability to use both sprayers.
Photo by Aaron Cato
Learn more about pre-construction considerations, the parts and materials needed,
step-by-step construction, and sprayer calibration tips at the link below:
Constructing a Cheap and Effective Strawberry Sprayer
Just a reminder about our Strawberry Playlist on our YouTube channel if you're more of a visual learner!
