Strawberry Pallidosis

Strawberry pallidosis is one of several viruses that make up a condition called virus decline.

New growth looks normal with reddening, drying old growth on plant infected with pallidosis (UCANR)

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Infected with only one of these diseases, strawberry plants often remain symptomless. It isn’t until  a second virus enters the game that symptoms begin to appear. These other viral diseases include strawberry vein banding, crinkle, mottle, mild yellow edge, and beet pseudo yellows. 


Symptoms of strawberry pallidosis

Similar to other strawberry viral diseases, symptoms of strawberry pallidosis include stunting, significantly reduced fruit and runner production, and older leaves turning red or purple. An additional symptom of strawberry pallidosis is that roots are brittle and show fewer rootlets.


Managing strawberry pallidosis

Unlike many other strawberry viral diseases, pallidosis is spread by whiteflies. This makes controlling the disease more difficult. Management strategies are the same for all strawberry viral diseases: only install certified disease-free plants, quarantine new plants, remove infected plants, and control whiteflies as much as you can.