[jd1959]

Had an unusually bad year with aphids during fruiting and only sprayed after harvesting. Unfortunately this type of leaf deformity and eventually necrosis spread across my strawberries afterward. The roots look fine and there is no evidence of rot or further infestation, etc. problems continue in plants off runners and in all three varieties I've been growing. Any one have ideas other than pulling the whole lot and replanting new stock elsewhere? Great forum by the way sorry to be lurking for so long now!

[michael brenock]

I doubt if it is strawberry crinkle virus. First of all the older leaf in the background looks healthy and not showing any crinkle. It looks more like direct aphid damage to me, what variety is it?
it is better to change the stock every 4-5 years and plant as far away from the old plot as possible. if fruit was reasonably plentiful and good size then the stock is still good.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

[jd1959]

They are Cambridge favorite, symphony, these two varieties are particularly bad, the elstanta seem to be showing the least dammage and I repopulate yearly with them. Yes the background leaves are ok on that one, but any subsequent growth shows similar dis-figuration, leading eventually to all new growth browning at a very small stage and the plants eventually loosing all leaves. The plants were new this season from what in the past has been a reputable source.

They were sprayed occasionally with Pyrethrum and neem oil mix, before and after, but not during fruiting, which has worked for me in the past for controlling all sorts of problems. Although the build up of aphids during fruiting was extremely high this year.

I'll try and bring a few over to Kildalton and hopefully find some answers there. From what I've gathered so far Crinkle is almost unheard of in Ireland so hopefully I'm looking at something a bit less insidious.