Auburn University Plant Disease Notes Crown Rot of Strawberries Crown rot or vascular collapse in strawberries is caused by the soilborne fungus Phytophthora.
Symptoms usually begin in the upper part of the crown and spread downward.
The youngest leaves wilt suddenly and often turn a bluish green. Wilting spreads quickly throughout the plant, and complete collapse occurs within days. Collapse may be one-sided, depending on the number of crowns infected. Infected plants will often break at the upper part of the crown when lifted from the soil. When cut lengthwise, the crown appears brown or sometimes rose pink throughout.