New threat likely to impact next year's strawberry crops in North Carolina

An emerging threat to North Carolina’s strawberries is likely to affect next year’s crop.

Neopestalotiopsis, also known as Neo-P, has been around for about five years but scientists are still learning about it, says Mark Hoffmann, a strawberry extension specialist with North Carolina State University.

He says the biggest problem with the disease is that there’s no pesticide that’s been able to control it.

"Our priority at the moment is really to help growers and really try to find something that we can use to control it better in nurseries, as well as in production fields," he says.

There will be an impact on next year’s crop, Hoffmann says, but it’s too early to tell how big it will be.

Neo-P rots the leaves, crown and fruit. Hoffmann says there’s no risk to consumers because the disease kills the strawberry plant.