Evaluation of Strawberry Cultivar Susceptibility to Fusarium Wilt Race 1 in a Commercial Field in Guadalupe, California, Summer 2025

Fusarium wilt of strawberry, caused by the soilborne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae race 1, is a disease responsible for significant economic losses within strawberry production. Typical symptoms seen in field are foliar chlorosis, stunted growth, wilting, drying and necrosis of older foliage, and death of the plant. This report evaluates the host resistance to Fusarium wilt of eight cultivars in an organically farmed commercial field in Guadalupe, California, in the summer of 2025. Disease severity and plant mortality were evaluated and area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was calculated for all cultivars. The results of this study will provide strawberry growers with information to make informed decisions on selecting cultivars with lower disease susceptibility for the effective management of Fusarium wilt.