What's wrong with my plant? Give us your feedback

Strawberries > Fruit > Discolored or rotten berries

1 of 7
  • Image: Botrytis 1

    Credit: T. McCamant, Northland Comm. College

  • Image: Botrytis 2

    Credit: T. McCamant, Northland Comm. College

  • - CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE -

green arrowBotrytis
Botrytis cinerea

  • Fruit develops indistinct, soft, light brown spots that rapidly enlarge and have a mild rotten smell
  • Gray powdery spores form on infected fruit under moist conditions
  • Disease favored by wet conditions and temperatures between 41-86F
  • One or several flowers in a cluster may turn brown to black and dry out
  • Black discoloration may extend down into the flower stalk
  • More information on Botrytis...
2 of 7
  • Image: Sunscald/Heat Stress 1

    Credit: M. Grabowski, U of MN

  • Image: Sunscald/Heat Stress 2

    Credit: M. Grabowski, U of MN

  • - CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE -

green arrowSunscald/Heat Stress

  • Berries are pink to bronze where directly exposed to sun
  • Berries have a pleasant, wine smell
  • Occurs in extreme heat at/near harvest
3 of 7
  • Image: Flower Thrips 1

    Credit: Eric Burkness, University of Minnesota

  • Image: Flower Thrips 2

    Credit: Jeff Hahn, University of Minnesota

  • Image: Yellow Nutsedge 2

    Credit: Eric Burkness, University of Minnesota

  • - CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE -

green arrowSpotted Winged Drosophila
Drosophila Suzukii

  • Active in gardens from July to September
  • Larvae feed on healthy, intact, ripening fruits
  • Larvae feed within the berries causing brown, sunken areas
  • Fruit becomes soft and decays
  • Adult flies are small (1/8 - 1/12 inch) long, yellowish-brown and red eyes, larvae are small (1/8” long), white and cylindrical
  • More information on Spotted Winged Drosophila
4 of 7
  • Image: Flower Thrips 1

    Credit: T. McCamant, Northland Comm. College

  • Image: Flower Thrips 2

    Credit: MN Dept. of Ag.

  • - CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE -

green arrowFlower Thrips
Frankliniella occidentalis

  • Feeding by thrips results in a berry that has a bronzed appearance
  • Thrips are very small insects (approximately 3/10 inch long) have feathery wings and vary in color from yellow to dark brown; nymphs are white or yellowish with small dark eyes
  • Thrips are present in early spring
5 of 7
  • Image: Leather Rot 1

    Credit: S. Wold-Burkness, U of MN

  • Image: Leather Rot 2

    Credit: S. Wold-Burkness, U of MN

  • - CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE -

green arrowLeather Rot
Phytopthora cactorum

  • A section of the berry or the entire fruit may turn tan, purple or brown
  • Infected berries have a foul “chemical” odor and become tough, leathery
  • Berries with any amount of infection are very bitter tasting
  • Infects flowers, green fruit and ripe fruit
  • Commonly occurs in low areas or where free standing water is present
  • More information on Leather Rot...
6 of 7
  • Image: Anthracnose 2

    Credit: T. McCamant, Northland Comm. College

  • Image: Anthracnose 3

    Credit: T. McCamant, Northland Comm. College

  • - CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE -

green arrowAnthracnose
Colletotrichum sp.

  • Fruit will develop distinct round sunken brown to black blotches with no smell
  • Wet pinkish orange sticky spores may form in the center of the fruit infection when wet
  • Fruit rot can occur on green or ripe fruit
  • Spots on leaves are small (<1/4"), round, sunken and gray-black, often resembling ink spots
  • Flower infection results in dried out and brown flowers and flower stalks
  • Occurs more frequently in very warm and humid weather (>80°F)
7 of 7
  • Image: Leaf Blight 3

    Credit: T. McCamant, Northland Comm. College

  • Image: Leaf Blight 2

    Credit: T. McCamant, Northland Comm. College

  • Image: Leaf Blight 1

    Credit: T. McCamant, Northland Comm. College

  • - CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE -

green arrowLeaf Blight
Phomopsis obscurans

  • First see purplish red round leaf spots with a gray brown center
  • Spots grow into a large V shaped lesion with a dry brown triangle in the center and a reddish purple V shaped border
  • Elongated, sunken, purplish brown or reddish brown spots or streaks may be seen on stems
  • Berries can develop soft pink-brown spots
  • More information on Leaf Blight...

Don't see what you're looking for?