Strawberries

Strawberries Australia represent the biosecurity interests of strawberry producers and the industry. They are members of Plant Health Australia and signatories to the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed. Their responsibilities include:

  • biosecurity planning and implementation at the national and farm levels
  • liaising with federal and state governments on trade issues
  • funding and supporting biosecurity initiatives
  • participating in national committees and response efforts in an emergency.

Industry overview

Strawberries are grown in all states of Australia (except the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory) by an estimated 500 growers. Production is concentrated in the Sunshine Coast area of Queensland, and the Yarra Valley and the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, with other production areas in Wannaroo, Bullsbrook and Albany in Western Australia, the Adelaide Hills in South Australia, and Tasmania.

Strawberries are grown in Australia throughout the year, with production in subtropical regions from May to October, and in temperate regions from October to June.
In temperate regions, the varieties grown are predominantly from California in the United States, with some Australian-bred varieties. In subtropical regions, Australian-bred varieties are increasingly being grown, with some varieties imported from Florida in the United States. There is continued industry investment in a national breeding program, and plantings of Australian-bred varieties are increasing, particularly in Queensland.

Biosecurity planning provides a mechanism for the strawberry industry, government and other relevant stakeholders to assess current biosecurity practices and future biosecurity needs. Planning identifies procedures that can be put in place to reduce the chance of pests reaching our borders or minimise the impact if a pest incursion occurs.

The Biosecurity Plan for the Berry Sector outlines key threats to the industry, risk mitigation plans, identification and categorisation of exotic pests and contingency plans. For a copy, please contact PHA on 02 6215 7700 or email biosecurity@phau.com.au.

Fact sheets and web links about the pollination of strawberries have been listed below. Please be aware that some of the information was developed overseas, and environmental and seasonal variations may occur.

Strawberry pollination fact sheet, The Pollination Program (Agrifutures Australia and Hort Innovation)

Bee pollination improves strawberry quality, shelf life and commercial value, Proceedings of the Royal Society

Exotic pests (not in Australia)

The following is a list of high priority exotic pests of strawberries. These pests were identified during the development of the Biosecurity Plan for the Berry Sector in consultation with industry, government and scientists. They have been assessed as high priority pests based on their potential to enter, establish, and spread in Australia (eg environmental factors, host range, vectors) and the cost to industry of control measures.

PHA has a range of fact sheets, contingency plans and diagnostic protocols relevant to these pests. Pest risk review documents are also available for some pests. Please contact PHA on 02 6215 7700 or email biosecurity@phau.com.au for more information.

Endorsed National Diagnostic Protocols are available from the National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostic Network webpage.

Common name Scientific name EPPRD Category Fact sheet Contingency plan Diagnostic protocol
Angular leaf spot Mycosphaerella angulata FS
Bishop bug Lygus rugulipennis
Brown-marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys FS FS FS CP
Brown rot Monilinia fructigena 3 FS FS FS DP
Flower thrips Frankliniella intonsa
Japanese beetle Popillia japonica FS
Red stele root rot Phytophthora fragariae var. fragariae 3 FS
Rose thrips Thrips fuscipennis
Southern red mite Oligonychus ilicis CP
Spotted wing drosophila Drosophila suzukii FS FS FS FS
Strawberry spider mite Tetranychus turkestani FS
Tarnished plant bug Lygus lineolaris FS FS FS CP

Other pests

The following is a list of documents for other exotic and endemic pests of the strawberry industry. Please note that this is not a complete list of pests: rather it includes pests for which documents exist in the Pest Information Document Database.

Some of the documents presented here are not  tailored to the strawberry industry and are included for information only.

Common name Scientific name EPPRD Category Fact sheet Contingency plan Diagnostic protocol
Greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum FS
Spongy moths Lymantria dispar and Lymantria mathura FS FS FS CP
Pacific spider mite Tetranychus pacificus FS
Queensland fruit fly Bactrocera tryoni FS DP
Raspberry ringspot virus Raspberry ringspot virus (Nepovirus) FS
Strawberry angular leaf spot Xanthomonas fragariae 3 FS
Tomato black ring virus Tomato black ring virus (Nepovirus) FS
Tomato ringspot virus Tomato ringspot virus (Nepovirus) FS
Verticillium wilt Verticillium dahliae (exotic defoliating strains) 3 FS
Western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis FS
Western plant bug Lygus hesperus FS
Strawberry latent ringspot virus Strawberry latent ringspot virus (Sadwavirus) FS