With the Neopestalotiopsis fungal disease commonly called “Neo-P” affecting strawberry supply chains and crop yields, Ohioans may notice a shortage of locally grown strawberries this year, said Melanie L. Lewis Ivey, associate professor of fruit pathology in the Department of Plant Pathology at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
“Consumers can expect that there will be a limited supply of Ohio-grown strawberries this year,” Lewis Ivey said. “Based on reduced supply, the price of strawberries may be higher than in previous years.”
With limited fungicide options and no resistant strawberry varieties available, growers are turning to CFAES for critical guidance and support.
Neo-P, which was first identified in Ohio in 2021, has made it increasingly difficult for growers to obtain healthy transplants, said Lewis Ivey, who is also a fresh produce safety specialist with Ohio State University Extension, CFAES’ outreach arm.
“The primary challenge growers have faced is purchasing disease-free transplants,” she said. “Most Ohio producers now plant in the fall for a spring/summer harvest, but last fall, nurseries were unable to supply transplants due to Neo-P.”
The disease is particularly problematic for greenhouse and high tunnel growers, as there are even fewer fungicide options available for controlled environment agriculture than for field production.
“There are no varieties that are resistant to the fungal pathogen, and managing the disease in greenhouses is especially difficult,” Lewis Ivey said. As a result, many growers are struggling to maintain their production levels.
To help farmers navigate these challenges, OSU Extension is providing essential education, research, and disease management recommendations. Lewis Ivey has received funding through the CFAES Internal Grants Program and the Ohio Produce Growers and Marketers Association (OPGMA) to study the disease’s impact and potential control strategies.
“This year, we’re assessing the ability of the pathogen to overwinter in Ohio soils,” she said. “We’re also working to identify the disease early to prevent the introduction of the fungus into new plantings.”
OSU Extension specialists are keeping growers informed through Ohio Fruit News, presentations at grower meetings, and digital resources.
“Extension educators are critical to the early detection of new and emerging diseases of specialty crops in Ohio,” Lewis Ivey said.
She also provides disease reference sheets and management recommendations to help growers develop effective spray programs for the season.
Additionally, Ohio State’s C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic offers free disease diagnosis for commercial fruit and vegetable crops. Funded by OPGMA, this service helps growers identify infections early, allowing them to take timely action to protect their crops.
The disease has also affected research efforts at CFAES’ Controlled Environment Agriculture Research Complex (CEARC) and at the CFAES Wooster campus.
“This disease has negatively impacted research because we obtain transplants from the same nurseries as field growers,” Lewis Ivey said. “If we receive diseased transplants, then we cannot conduct our research.”
In some cases, infected plants have had to be destroyed, and entire greenhouse cleanouts have been required expensive, labor-intensive processes. However, the outbreak has provided a unique research opportunity.
“This has given us the chance to study the spread of this disease in controlled environment agriculture systems, which few universities are doing,” Lewis Ivey said.
Despite these challenges, ongoing research aims to mitigate the disease’s long-term impact.
“With all plant diseases, host resistance is the first line of defense,” Lewis Ivey said.
She and Jonathan Fresnedo Ramirez, an associate professor in the CFAES Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, have submitted a Specialty Crop Block Grant proposal to the Ohio Department of Agriculture to identify commercial cultivars and accession lines that show tolerance to Neo-P infections.
While Neo-P poses a significant challenge, OSU Extension is working alongside growers to develop effective disease management strategies and ensure the future success of Ohio’s strawberry industry. By providing research-based guidance, diagnostic services, and ongoing education, CFAES is reinforcing its commitment to supporting Ohio’s produce-growing community.
Source : osu.edu