In North Carolina, strawberry growers are monitoring a new disease potentially impacting their crops. At Pope's Strawberries in Knightdale, owner David Pope anticipates a delayed season start, but his primary concern is a disease named Neo-P.
Pope stated, "The main thing is we're getting a new disease that no one knows a lot about called Neo-P, and it could be devastating if we have a wet spring." The NC Strawberry Association confirmed Neo-P's presence in North Carolina fields in 2022. Pope noted, "When we bought plants this year at one nursery they completely closed down in Canada." This situation compelled him to source plants from California, where warnings about the disease were issued.
Pope explained, "Most growers I've talked to do have some disease." The disease's spread is exacerbated by wet weather, leading Pope to hope for a warm, dry spring. His preventative measures include regular spraying, as he mentioned, "I'll start spraying probably this week and that's about all just spray and hope."
If conditions remain favorable, Pope anticipates opening for the strawberry season between April 20 and 25.
Source: CBS 17 News