Strawberry varieties tested for Pestalotiopsis resistance

In 2026, the CTIFL conducted a trial to evaluate how different commercial strawberry varieties respond to infection by Pestalotiopsis (Neopestalotipsis sp.), a fungal pathogen that can cause leaf spots and fruit rot. The study focused on six varieties: Gariguette, Cléry, Favori, Dream, Magnum, and Murano.

Varieties showed differing levels of infection symptoms

All six varieties were infected with Pestalotiopsis, but the severity of symptoms varied significantly. According to Julia Guillot, a research engineer at the CTIFL center in Balandran, Gariguette showed the least symptoms, with no plants displaying any signs of infection. In contrast, Murano was the most affected, with 93 to 98% of plants showing symptoms, while Cléry had about 63% symptomatic plants.

Yield and taste impacts were minimal

The trial found that overall yields were not significantly affected by the infection, except for Murano, which experienced a small decrease of about 3.7 grams per plant. However, the taste quality of the fruits remained unaffected, with no noticeable differences in flavor or texture between infected and non-infected plants across all varieties.

Inoculation method and growing conditions

To infect the plants, researchers used a Pestalotiopsis strain collected from a producer and multiplied it in Lanxade. The infected plants were grown under standard greenhouse conditions, including a daytime temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, nighttime temperatures between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius, and soil pH and electrical conductivity adjusted according to the plants' growth stage.

Substrate's role in infection examined

In addition to testing the varieties, the CTIFL investigated whether contaminated soil could spread the infection. They compared two setups: one with healthy plants grown in old, contaminated soil from a greenhouse, and another with healthy plants in new, uncontaminated soil. While more symptomatic plants were found in the contaminated soil setup, the difference was not statistically significant, suggesting that the plants themselves may be the primary source of infection.