Recent News
Main Street Produce visits Strawberry Center
Jun 14, 2023
It was a pleasure to host Main Street Produce for a tour of the Strawberry Center and our field research plots. Pictured left to right: Ben Adam, Dan Piester, Gerald Holmes, Ann Veneman (former Sec. Agriculture under Pres. Bush), Paul Allen, and Thadeus Tracy.
We are thankful for all visitors who come here to learn more about the Strawberry Center.
Mary Steele defends MS thesis
Jun 12, 2023
Congratulations to Center pathology Master's student Mary Steele! After much hard work, she will be defending her thesis this Thursday at 10am. Join her in person or on Zoom to hear all about her research project.
MARY STEELE
M.S. In Agriculture with a Specialization in Crop Science
Advisor: Dr. Shashika Hewavitharana
Thursday, June 15, 2023 - 10 a.m.
Technology Park, Building 83
Lower Level Conference Room, Cal Poly campus
Zoom Meeting ID: 822 4311 6487
THESIS TITLE: "Soilborne Pathogens of Strawberry in California's Central Coast: Disease Survey and Wheat Cover Cropping for Disease Management"
Full presentation video available @ https://youtu.be/KMMjQTtWJpU
UCCE Advisor Michael Cahn gives lecture at Cal Poly
Jun 9, 2023
Michael Cahn (Irrigation and Water Resources Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, Monterey County) gave a lecture (17 May 2023) at Cal Poly on "Irrigation and Nitrogen Management in Strawberry". Our students really have had a front row seat for the strawberry industry by listening to seasoned professionals such as Michael, who has many years of experience and wisdom to depart and share. Michael spoke about nitrogen management and environmental impacts, as well as irrigation system maintenance, operation and scheduling.
Thank you Michael for making the trip to Cal Poly and imparting your extensive irrigation and nitrogen management knowledge and experience to our students!
View Michael's full presentation on our Center YouTube channel @ https://youtu.be/5617sOAMWm4
Graduate students Jensen and Alvarado Rojas defend M.S. theses
Jun 7, 2023
Congratulations to Center entomology Masters' students Jose Alvarado Rojas and Kiley Jensen! After much hard work, they will be soon defending their theses. Join them on campus or Zoom to learn more about their research projects.
JOSE ALVARADO ROJAS
M.S. In Agriculture with a Specialization in Plant Protection Science
Advisor: Dr. David Headrick
WEDNESDAY, June 14, 2023 1 p.m.
Zoom Meeting ID: 822 0723 0735
THESIS TITLE: "Evaluating the Field Efficacy of UV-C on Two California Strawberry Arthropod Pests"
Presentation video available @ https://youtu.be/NL1tzvd-ICk
KILEY JENSEN
M.S. In Agriculture with a Specialization in Plant Protection Science
Advisor: Dr. Gerald Holmes
FRIDAY, June 9, 2023 11:30 a.m.
CAFES Dean's Conference Room, 11-210, Cal Poly campus
Zoom Meeting ID: 883 6974 5189
THESIS TITLE "Arthropod Resistance Status of Tetranychus urticae and Lygus hesperus in California Strawberries"
Presentation video available @ https://youtu.be/wH35Xm89S0s
Strawberry Center well represented at CAFES Research Spring Symposium
Jun 6, 2023
The Strawberry Center was well represented at the CAFES Research Symposium this spring! We had five exceptional participants. Lydia Tavoletti wowed as an undergraduate finalist, while graduate students Samantha Simard, Cooper Calvin, Kiley Jensen, and Mary Steele delivered outstanding presentations. A huge congratulations to Mary for securing first place in the graduate student category!
We extend our gratitude to the students who represented the Strawberry Center with utmost excellence, your dedication and achievements make us immensely proud. It's truly rewarding to witness our program and research being recognized at the symposium.
Photos:
Upper left: Kiley Jensen, MS Student
Upper right: Mary Steele, MS Student
Center: Samantha Simard, MS Student
Bottom: (left to right) Gerald Holmes, Shashika Hewavitharana, Mary Steele, Lydia Tavoletti, Cooper Calvin
Cal Poly Entomology students use strawberry field for scouting exercise
May 26, 2023
Cal Poly Plant Sciences Department entomologist Dr. David Headrick brought students from his Insect Pest Management class (PLSC 431) out to our strawberry field to obtain hands-on experience in scouting and evaluating crops for insect pests and damage. In preparation for a project where students will process a much larger, commercial-sized lemon orchard, Dr. Headrick utilized our strawberry field to run students through timed exercises that teach and challenge them in balancing time and accuracy when scouting for aphids and mites. Dr. Headrick commented "I am grateful to have this strawberry field available to provide a learn-by-doing experience for my students!". 
Dave Murray (Good Farms) gives lecture at Cal Poly
May 24, 2023
Dave Murray (Partner, Good Farms) gave a lecture (3 May 2023) at Cal Poly on "Crisis Response Issues Management". This is a topic rarely addressed in undergraduate education. Our students have a front row seat, listening to professionals who are in the trenches and willing to impart important lessons learned in the real world.
While here, Dave shared his thoughts about the Center: "The Cal Poly Strawberry Center has effectively become the hub of our industry for field research and automation. But more importantly ... thanks to the steadfast dedication of leadership and staff, the Center has created a culture that attracts top-quality students from all fields of study....some of whom will shape the future of strawberry production in California." Thank you Dave for making the trip to Cal Poly and sharing your crisis management wisdom and knowledge with our our students!
View Dave's full presentation on our Center YouTube channel @ https://youtu.be/mpsHjCNbUPs
Register for the Cal Poly Strawberry Center Field Day
May 19, 2023
7th Annual Cal Poly Strawberry Center Field Day
Aug. 3, 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
https://tinyurl.com/FD2023-reg-open
Join more than 400 strawberry growers, researchers and industry representatives for this year’s Strawberry Center Field Day. Participants will rotate through stations, hearing from
Cal Poly students and staff about the latest research taking place at the Strawberry Center. Topics include the newest automation technology, predatory mites, soil-borne pathogens of strawberry and much more! We look forward to sharing the center's latest research and happenings. Learn more about the seventh annual field day.
Sponsorship Opportunities are Still Available
We are excited to partner with your company to create our most successful Field Day yet. Information about sponsorship opportunities is available online @ https://strawberry.calpoly.edu/field-day-2023-sponsorship-opportunities or email Julie Tillman at jutillma@calpoly.edu for more information.
May 20 is National Strawberry Picking Day!
May 19, 2023
Today, we honor the hardworking farmers who bring us fresh strawberries from farm to table.
National Picking Strawberries Day reminds us of the incredible journey that food takes from farm to table. It starts with dedicated farmers who work tirelessly to bring us fresh, nutritious food. Let's take a moment to thank them for their dedication and hard-working efforts!
We also want to thank all our Strawberry Center employees for picking Cal Poly’s delicious strawberries!
MS students Mary Steele and Cooper Calvin present at workshop
May 17, 2023
Congratulations to Center Master's students Cooper Calvin and Mary Steele for winning registration awards at the 68th Annual Conference on Soilborne Plant Pathogens and the 53rd California Nematology Workshop, both held in Watsonville this past March!
Mary spoke on the effect of wheat cover crop on Macrophomina root rot and rhizosphere microbiome in strawberry while Cooper presented on black root rot complex and pathogenicity of Pythium spp. in California strawberries, both important pathogens that heavily impact strawberry fruit development.
We were also excited to see former Master's student Yu-Chen Wang in her new element as a Plant Pathology Advisor at the UCCE Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito counties office in Watsonville, CA!
