New Varieties of Strawberries Aim to Combat Fusarium Wilt

In an exciting new development for strawberry growers here in the Southeast, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has partnered with Ohalo, a biotech company, to combat Fusarium wilt, a fungal disease that has severely impacted strawberry crops in the region.

This collaboration focuses on developing strawberry varieties resistant to Fusarium wilt, which has caused significant losses for farmers in Florida and beyond. Ohalo is utilizing advanced gene-editing technology to help create more resilient plants, with research already showing promising results for disease resistance and improved crop durability.

By addressing this challenge, UF/IFAS and Ohalo aim to improve crop health, enhance long-term sustainability, and ensure more consistent yields for strawberry growers. Ongoing research will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of these new varieties and their potential for broader adoption across the Southeast’s strawberry-producing areas.

Farmers can look forward to more updates as the project progresses.