Problem
Abiotic disorder - frost damage
Symptoms
Healthy flowers with darken dead centers, dead flowers, misshaped friut, dead fruit.
Frost damage strawberry flower.
Rocco D Schiavone
Flower damaged at popcorn stage.
Rocco D Schiavone
Similar Problems
Boron defficiency, calcium defficiency, thrips.
Additional Information
Visible within 24 hours of frost/freeze event.
Diagnostic Tips
Similar to poor pollination. Open flowers are most vulnerable. Critical temperatures are 30°F for open flowers, 28°F for fruit and 22-27°F for tight flowers.
Corrective Measures
Sanitation and botrytis control spray may be helpful.
Management
Protect flowers/fruit from freeze and frost with overhead irrigation or row covers in spring when plants begin to grow and have more than a few open blooms.
Useful Resources:
North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual
Funding Sources
Funding was provided in part by the National Sustainable Agriculture Program: Sustainable Strawberry Initiative and the following sources.
Division of Agriculture Research & Extension
Publication date: March 25, 2014
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