First Record of Strawberry Gray Mold Caused by Botrytis cinerea in Sindh Province, Pakistan

Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of gray mold, is a major disease of strawberry that causes significant pre- and post-harvest fruit losses worldwide. In 2016, surveys were conducted in strawberry-growing districts of Sindh province, Pakistan. Strawberry fruits showing characteristic gray mold symptoms were collected based on visual inspection during the survey. The pathogen was frequently isolated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) from infected fruits and was confirmed as B. cinerea. Pathogenicity was verified through in vitro inoculation on healthy strawberry fruits, which reproduced typical disease symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the first documented report of gray mold of strawberry in Sindh province, providing a basis for future studies on the epidemiology and management of this disease.