The primary purpose of this agreement is to identify high-risk strawberry viruses by production region within the U.S., with the OBJ ective of developing evidence-based information on how to best…

University of California, Davis has been awarded $240,000 through a cooperative agreement with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025), effective September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026. The primary deliverable is the identification and characterization of high-risk strawberry viruses across U.S. production regions to inform evidence-based monitoring and management practices. UC Davis will collect strawberry samples from nursery production blocks (G2, G3, and G4) and wild stands throughout all strawberry-growing regions, conducting polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis to detect viruses and phytoplasma, and employing high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to screen wild strawberry plants for viral pathogens.

The outputs generated through this agreement will include regionally specific data on high-risk strawberry viruses to be shared with regulatory entities and state departments of agriculture, along with technical assistance, training programs, and virus mitigation protocols for nurseries. The research findings will support the development of best management practices for pathogen exclusion during plant production and enable state agricultural departments to prioritize inspections on high-risk pathogens within their respective regions, ultimately supporting virus certification programs for berry nurseries.

The primary purpose of this agreement is to identify high-risk strawberry viruses by production region within the U.S., with the OBJ ective of developing evidence-based information on how to best monitor for and develop best management practices to exclude viruses and other targeted pathogens during plant production in nurseries. Specific project objectives are to collect strawberry samples from nurseries (G2, G3, and G4 blocks) and wild stands in each strawberry growing region in the U.S. Samples collected from nurseries will be analyzed using PCR to detect viruses and phytoplasma. HTS will be used to screen wild strawberry plants for viruses. The outcomes will be to generate data of high-risk strawberry viruses by region and coordinate with regulatory entities on proposal for best management practices, provide training and technical assistance, and support virus mitigation protocols for nurseries. The information will also be used by the state departments of agriculture to focus their inspections with an emphasis towards 'high risk' pathogens in their state or region and will support certification programs for berry nurseries.