Strawberry foliar nematode, Aphelenchoides fragariae

Feb 2026

Illustration of a strawberry plant showing symptoms of foliar nematode infection, with crinkled leaves, reddish margins, and small, deformed fruit.

I painted symptoms of strawberry foliar nematode (also known as strawberry crimp nematode, Aphelenchoides fragariae) on a strawberry plant.

The painting shows a dwarfed strawberry plant. Some leaves are distorted, puckered or crinkled, with discoloured (reddish) margins. In advanced stages, the leaf edges may become dry or necrotic, shown here as brown edges. The plant also has deformed fruits, reduced in both size and number compared with a healthy plant (not shown).

N.B. While Aphelenchoides fragariae is associated with angular, water-soaked lesions between veins in other hosts, I have not found convincing photographs of this particular symptom on strawberry.

Next
Next

January 2026: Onion Blout