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Bees deliver fungicide more effectively than sprays, study finds

Researchers found that bees can deliver a biological fungicide to strawberry blooms more effectively than mechanical sprayers, reducing infected strawberries by 72 percent. The bee-delivered natural fungicide was as effective as chemical sprays at preventing gray mold, a common disease in strawberries.

Two new culprits cause strawberry blight

A study by UC Davis scientists reveals that two organisms - a fungus and a bacterium - cause blossom blight in strawberries. The fungus Cladosporium cladosporioides renders the fruit unattractive, while the bacterium Xanthomonas fragariae causes occasional fruit loss, mainly of minor economic importance.