Know the Plagues
Two-Spot Spider
It is the most abundant pest in strawberry crops; in fact, it is so strong that it can destroy entire plantations in a matter of days; if the pertinent control measures are not taken.
Blind chicken
It is an insect considered dangerous. Its damage is caused by larvae that can reach 3 centimeters. Its life cycle begins at the beginning of June, in a few days the eggs mature, emerging the larvae that begin to feed during the next 4 months, mainly from the roots. The main damage caused by this pest is the deterioration of the roots in strawberry plants, which increases during the rainy season due to changes in temperature and humidity levels.
Flower Thrips
It is a rare pest in strawberry crops, however, depending on the region of the plantations, it may have a greater or lesser recurrence. They are generally located feeding on the flowers, in a scattered manner, so there is no known greater damage to the plants, it is estimated that the populations are 8 to 10 per flower.
Fruit fly
The larva mainly attacks mature fruits and occurs at altitudes up to 2300 meters above sea level. It is common to observe a white worm inside the fruit, causing commercial damage.
White Mite
It is imperceptible to the naked eye; with its attack the plants take on a squat appearance. The young leaves do not open completely, remaining small and brownish in color; later they dry out causing defoliation. Its establishment is benefited by population dynamics, where a female can lay up to 90 eggs, of which approximately 80% are female; it has a short life cycle of approximately two weeks; spreads rapidly through infested plant material.
Slugs
They have nocturnal habits and during the day they hide under residues of plant material, stones or clods. Slugs thrive on the ground, preferring humid conditions; they attack the tender foliage, cutting the seedlings in the seedbeds and the newly transplanted ones, consuming the leaves and in some situations the fruits
Know the Diseases
Fruit rot
Produced by the fungus Botrytis cinerea, which increases its incidence with conditions of high relative humidity. Infections can cause flower rot. At the beginning, the lesion appears brown in color, turning gray due to sporulation; millions of spores are produced in a single fruit and can be blown away by the wind, tools, humans and plant matter itself
Anthracnose
Dark spots are observed on branches and stems, which can cause death of plant tissue such as branches or even the plant; the presence of the disease is favored by high relative humidity, the presence of weeds and aeration problems in the crop. It is common to find rotten fruits due to anthracnose in the field. It should be taken into account that the pathogen that causes it can survive in the soil for at least 9 months without host plants.
Smallpox
It is a rare pest in strawberry crops, however, depending on the region of the plantations, it may have a greater or lesser recurrence. They are generally located feeding on the flowers, in a scattered manner, so there is no known greater damage to the plants, it is estimated that the populations are 8 to 10 per flower.
Angular spot
The initial infection appears as tiny water spots on the underside of the leaf. As the disease progresses, larger translucent lesions appear, draining a viscous slime of bacteria. As the disease develops, reddish-brown spots appear on the upper part of the leaves that end up drying it. The bacteria live in the soil and spread by splashing water on the foliage.