Strawberry Black Root Rot Complex

Black root rot complex constitutes a complex set of symptoms caused by one or more of the following:

Black root rot complex is most commonly observed in older plantings, on heavy compacted soils, or where terbacil herbicide has been used for several consecutive years.

Pulled up strawberry plant. Entire root system is black.

Pulled up strawberry plant on mulch. Leaves are wilted and green. Roots are dark brown to black in color.

Healthy roots are white throughout.

Black strawberry roots on white background.

Differences in tolerance to black root rot exist among varieties, but because the causes differ from site to site, no one variety has broad tolerance across all locations.

More information:

Use these resources if you need additional help with diagnosis and to find solutions to your problem.