Cal Poly Strawberry Center

Cal Poly Strawberry Center The Strawberry Center is a research and education center at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, CA.

Our mission is to ensure the sustainability of the CA strawberry industry through research and education that addresses grower needs.🍓

🚩🌱 Field Day is ONE month away!Join over 600 strawberry growers, researchers and industry representatives from all over ...
06/23/2026

🚩🌱 Field Day is ONE month away!

Join over 600 strawberry growers, researchers and industry representatives from all over California and beyond on July 23rd. Get a firsthand look at ongoing trials and demonstrations on everything from automation to pest and disease management. Some specific topics include:

🔬 Fungicide and insecticide trial data
☀️ UV-C and solar-powered tech
🌱 Cultivar updates and sanitation practices
🤝Exhibitor stop and product update session
🚜 Automated transplanters, drone demos and more!

06/17/2026

Michael Cleugh (VP of Operations for West Coast Berry Farms and General Manager of AgriFrost) gave a lecture at Cal Poly on the processing of strawberries.

Michael has been involved in processing and growing strawberries for decades. He is also a valued member of our Industry Advisory Council. Thank you Michael for making the trip to Cal Poly and sharing your knowledge and experience with our students!
Interested in watching the full lecture? View the YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/bPdFfErop-g?si=Dkk30FTMZm30aHXe

CONGRATULATIONS to Colin who successfully defended his master’s thesis! His thesis is titled “Evaluation of Ultraviolet-...
06/12/2026

CONGRATULATIONS to Colin who successfully defended his master’s thesis! His thesis is titled “Evaluation of Ultraviolet-C Light for Control of Mites and Lygus in Strawberry & Interactive Lethal Effects of Common Strawberry Fungicides and Adjuvants on Phytoseiulus persimilis" and you can watch his defense by clicking here: https://youtu.be/DZKZl3M5npc

His thesis committee is comprised of Drs. Mohammad Amir Aghaee (chair), Gerald Holmes and Ryan Perry. We’re incredibly proud of Colin and wish him success in his future role with Betteravia Farms in Santa Maria, CA.

06/08/2026

Dr. Mitchell Feldmann (Director of the strawberry breeding program at UC Davis) gave a lecture at Cal Poly titled "UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program: Yesterday and Tomorrow".

Thank you Mitchell for making the trip to Cal Poly and sharing your knowledge and experience with our students!
Interested in watching the full lecture? View the YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/Kp7z4f8VUA4

This week we established a new experiment where we will be evaluating 51 strawberry genotypes for their susceptibility t...
06/04/2026

This week we established a new experiment where we will be evaluating 51 strawberry genotypes for their susceptibility to Fusarium wilt race 1. This will be part of Marin Vargas' master's thesis. She and Field Supervisor Joseph Ramirez worked hard to get the plots marked and bareroot plants transplanted.

Thanks go to Centra West Produce for hosting the experiment on their farm. We could not do this without their support!

The Strawberry Center was very well-represented at the CAFES Research Symposium. Six graduate students and four undergra...
06/01/2026

The Strawberry Center was very well-represented at the CAFES Research Symposium. Six graduate students and four undergraduate students participated in the poster session, presenting on a diverse range of projects. Our very own Colin Koubek, won first place in the graduate student research competition! That's the fourth time in five years that a Strawberry Center graduate student has won this award! Congratulations to all of our amazing students!

05/28/2026

🚩FIELD DAY REGISTRATION IS NOW LIVE!!🚩
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cal-poly-strawberry-center-field-day-july-23-2026-tickets-1987532633610
EVENT: Cal Poly Strawberry Center 10th Annual Field Day
WHEN: Thursday, July 23, 2026
Join more than 600 strawberry growers, researchers and industry representatives for this year's event. Participants will rotate through five interactive stations showcasing over 20 dynamic demonstrations led by students, staff and industry partners. Topics include the newest automation technology, arthropod pests and predators, soil-borne pathogens of strawberry and much more! Lunch will be served.

We had a great time sharing a hands-on presentation during the Great AGVenture, hosted by the SLO County Agricultural Ed...
05/26/2026

We had a great time sharing a hands-on presentation during the Great AGVenture, hosted by the SLO County Agricultural Education Committee! 🍓

Six groups of 4th graders had the chance to look through a microscope, explore strawberry pathogens, learn about pest management, and gain insight into the broader CA strawberry industry. A huge thank you to undergraduate students Karla Rodriguez, Angel Castaneyra, and Caedence Rice for making this experience possible!

Inspiring the next generation about agriculture is one of the favorite parts of our outreach opportunities and we hope some of these students will one day pursue agriculture as a field of study or career.

🚩🌱 Field Day registration opens in ONE week!Register on Thursday, May 28th at 9 AM for the Cal Poly Strawberry Center 10...
05/21/2026

🚩🌱 Field Day registration opens in ONE week!
Register on Thursday, May 28th at 9 AM for the Cal Poly Strawberry Center 10th Annual Field Day
EVENT:
Thursday, July 23, 2026
Join more than 600 strawberry growers, researchers and industry representatives for this year's event. Participants will rotate through five interactive stations showcasing over 20 dynamic demonstrations led by students, staff and industry partners. Topics include the newest automation technology, arthropod pests and predators, soil-borne pathogens of strawberry and much more! Lunch will be served. A huge thank you to Kula Bio for sponsoring registration!

https://strawberry.calpoly.edu/field-day-2026

05/19/2026

Dr. Mohammad Amir Aghaee (Entomology Program Leader at the Strawberry Center) gave a lecture at Cal Poly on "Arthropod Pest Management in California Strawberry Production."

Thank you Mohammad for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience with our students!

Interested in watching the full lecture? Click here: https://youtu.be/sfg3kqs5JDg?si=yC0Hh5WQ24r2dYCs

Address

1 Grand Avenue
San Luis Obispo, CA
93405

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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