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June-bearing strawberries

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Let the Sun Shine In

Powdery mildew fungus is a serious disease that affects strawberry plants and other crops. On strawberry plants, powdery mildew appears as white powdery spots or fuzzy growth on both sides of leaves and on stems. It can kill flowers, harden immature fruit, and reduce fruit quality and marketable yields. In Japan and western Europe, powdery mildew is the primary cause of fruit quality loss. ARS researchers turned to the sun to help fight this disease. Specifically, researchers are using shortwave ultraviolent light (UV-C) to kill powdery mildew fungus. Read more in "Researchers Harness the Sun’s Rays to Fight Strawberry Disease."