A visit to Kuitpo Forest Strawberries in South Australia recently was a good opportunity to get an update on the ongoing efforts to enhance soil health and combat Charcoal Rot.

Luke Wormald joined Owner of Kuitpo Forest Strawberries, Adam Sherry to monitor progress of the crops and conduct additional soil sampling. The strawberries were treated with a special formulation of POPUL8, enriched with added microbes to target Charcoal Rot caused by a soilborne fungus, Macrophomina phaseolina.

Since application, the team has observed little to no Charcoal Rot development, which is a positive indication of the treatments effectiveness, though further monitoring will continue. The soil samples taken last month have been submitted to the Thomas Elder Institute for analysis, focusing on microbial levels in the soil before and after the POPUL8 application. This data will help assess the impact of the treatment and guide future strategies for maintaining healthy strawberry crops.