Swarnalatha Moparthi, PhD
Research Associate
NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic
RALEIGH, North Carolina, United States
Michael Bradshaw, PhD (he/him/his)
Assistant Professor
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
William Cline
Extension Associate
North Carolina State University
Castle Hayne, North Carolina, United States
Mark Hoffmann
Associate Professor
North Carolina State University
RALEIGH, North Carolina, United States
Matthew Bertone
Extension Associate
North Carolina State University
RALEIGH, North Carolina, United States
North Carolina is a leading fresh-market strawberry producer in the Southeast USA, with increasing cultivation driven by rising consumer demand. Strawberry crown rot poses a significant threat to production; however, the diversity of its causal pathogens is not well understood. This study aimed to characterize crown rot pathogens in the state and assess the presence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae in samples submitted to the North Carolina State University Plant Disease and Insect Clinic (2023–2024). Strawberry plants exhibiting crown rot, collected from 33 counties and 17 varieties, were cultured on PDA and PARPH media. A total of 160 fungal isolates were recovered and characterized using morphological and molecular methods. Neopestalotiopsis was the most prevalent genus (n=118), with species from the N. vaccinii complex (n=68), N. rosae complex (n=45), as well as N. clavispora (n=1) and N. longiappendiculata (n=1). Phytophthora was the second most common pathogen, with P. cactorum as the dominant species, followed by Colletotrichum species. Among the nine F. oxysporum isolates, none were identified as F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae. These findings offer the first comprehensive assessment of crown rot pathogens in North Carolina strawberries, contributing to enhanced disease management strategies.