Recent News
26 Hours of Science & Technology in Agriculture
Mar 21, 2025
The Cal Poly Latinos in Agriculture Club, in collaboration with the Plant Science Department, hosted over 100 California high school students for this year's "26 Hours of Science & Technology in Agriculture" event, which provides students with a 26-hour tour of Cal Poly's diverse agricultural offerings, centers and departments. Plant pathology program leader Shashika Hewavitharana and several master's students provided instructional demonstrations and hands-on activities focusing on basic strawberry plant diseases and diagnostic tests. It was wonderful showing these students some of the great opportunities Cal Poly can offer!
Leopards don't change their spots, but these mites will!
Mar 11, 2025
Leopards don't change their spots, but these mites will! Dr. Mohammad Amir Aghaee just published a blog post on Lewis mites and their seeming ability to "transform" into two-spotted spider mites (TSSM). This illusion of changing spots is due to the movement of the organelles and food within the body of the mite, shown in the video above. Lewis mite is a serious pest because it can outpace TSSM and predatory mites during winter months when temperatures are below 15 °C. Learn more about distinguishing these mites and their impact here:
https://strawberrycenterblog.com/2025/03/11/a-leopard-doesnt-change-its-spots-but-these-mites-will/
Marina Gutierrez's research project: using citrus oils for pathogen control
Mar 4, 2025
Marina Gutierrez, one of our graduate students, is currently evaluating the efficacy of using nanoencapsulated citrus oils to control strawberry pathogens that cause Botrytis fruit rot and powdery mildew. Pictured is the detached fruit assay process in which berries are dipped into various citrus oil treatments, artificially inoculated with Botrytis cinerea, and then incubated for four days. These berries are then visually assessed to determine disease severity.
The start of our 2025 strawberry harvest season!
Feb 28, 2025
This week marked the start of our 2025 strawberry harvest season! It's always exciting when those first fruit ripen up. While some berries are being harvested now, it will take a few weeks for harvest to ramp up enough for commercial sales. Sales are mostly on campus until the quarter ends in June when you'll be able to purchase in stores like Vons in San Luis Obispo. Until then, they will be sold on campus at Campus Market, Village Market, Grand Ave Market and Cal Poly Meats.
Sampling a biological control trial with BioBee
Feb 26, 2025
Exciting collaboration in action! BioBee CSO emeritus Shimon Steinberg and Technical Sales Rep Saul Alba joined Mohammad and grad student Taylor to sample a large biological control trial, examining the rates and timing of predatory mite (Neoseiulus californicus) releases on Eotetranychus lewisi (lewis mite) and Tetranychus urticae (two-spotted spider mite). Biological control in the central and northern districts can be a serious challenge due to cold weather reducing the efficacy of predatory mites. We are currently in week 9 of a 16-week trial. Dr. Steinberg was visiting us as part of a larger tour through Central California for meetings and international symposia. Along with field tours, Mohammad and Taylor discussed the technical aspects and data from the trial!
NEW BLOG POST: Entomology Roadmap 2025
Feb 19, 2025
NEW BLOG POST ALERT! Entomology Program Leader Dr. Mohammad Aghaee is gearing up for a very exciting and busy 2025. In this post, he reveals a roadmap for the program's seven different research projects. From pesticide efficacy to UV-C treatments, there is a lot on the horizon. Click here to read the full blog post and stay informed on our latest happenings:
https://strawberrycenterblog.com/2025/02/19/entomology-roadmap-2025/
Hosting a CAFES Career Counseling Workshop
Feb 12, 2025
Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting a career counseling workshop for our undergraduate students! Led by CAFES Career Counselor Monica Contreras, this workshop touched on exploring career paths through various databases and building professional networks. A huge thank you to Monica for sharing her expertise! Events like these are a vital part of the Strawberry Academy, our workforce readiness program, which helps our students develop the skills and confidence needed to thrive in their future careers. 
A new graduate student at the Center!
Feb 5, 2025
Maria Alvarez Arredondo is one of our new graduate students at the Center. She is currently working on two projects for her research. The first is a cultivar trial, where she is testing 81 transplants from various breeding programs to assess their susceptibility to Macrophomina root rot and Verticillium wilt. The second is a sanitation study, which evaluates the effectiveness of different sanitizing agents in removing soilborne pathogens. This study also includes a survey to understand current farm practices to prevent the spread of these pathogens. She is pictured here working in her field plots and plating in the lab!
Releasing Phytoseiulus persimilis in the strawberry fields
Jan 29, 2025
This week, some of our students released Phytoseiulus persimilis in our strawberry fields. These predatory mites feed on two-spotted spider mites, a serious pest of strawberries. For this method to be successful, a proper balance between predator and prey must be struck. It requires good timing and proper conditions but California growers know how to make it work!
Predatory mites are one of the many non-chemical means of controlling pests in California strawberries.
Inoculating Monterey cultivar with Phytophthora cactorum
Jan 24, 2025
Last week, our team inoculated the 'Monterey' strawberry cultivar with Phytophthora cactorum, the pathogen that causes phytophthora crown rot. This is a water mold, so symptoms are more often seen in our wetter months. We are currently studying the efficacy of new chemistries for the control of Phytophthora crown rot.
To evaluate these products, we inoculate healthy plants then follow up with fungicide applications. We grow the spores on plates which are then washed into a container and diluted to the right concentration. Syringes are then used to inject 50 ml of inoculum into the soil at the base of each plant. Fungicides will be applied through the drip system, and we’ll monitor the plants for mortality in the coming weeks!
