Strawberry growers in Arkansas are grappling with a new plant disease, Neopestalopsiapsis, which has recently been discovered in the state.
The disease, known as Neo-P, was first detected in Florida in 2017 and has since spread to other parts of the southeastern United States.
"This new disease is called Neopestalopsiapsis," said Amanda McWhirt, a professor of horticulture and fruit and vegetable extension specialist at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. "That disease will actually result in the plants dying. so when the plants start to die, of course, then they're no longer producing fruit."
McWhirt explained, "Growers are trying to figure out this year how to combat that disease and then also deal with sort of the intense weather that we've been having."
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