Strawberry Propagation: Progress on Propagation Methods, Environmental Regulation, and Disease Management Strategies over the Past 20 Years

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) propagation has evolved significantly over the past 20 years, transitioning from traditional field nursery systems to advanced, controlled, environment production. This review synthesizes recent advances in propagation methods, environmental regulation, and disease management strategies. Traditional field systems face mounting challenges from soilborne pathogens (Neopestalotiopsis species, Phytophthora cactorum, Verticillium dahliae) and regulatory restrictions on methyl bromide fumigation. Plug plant technology offers 80–95% disease reduction and 3–7-week production cycles versus 12–16-weeks traditional cycles, although at higher unit costs. Advanced tray plant systems developed in the Netherlands enable 10–11 months cold storage and programmed year-round production schedules. Elevated bench propagation systems have emerged as dominant commercial technology in East Asian regions, particularly Korea and Japan, where disease pressure necessitated alternatives to conventional nurseries. Micropropagation via temporary immersion bioreactors achieves 50–100% higher multiplication rates, while ensuring virus-free status. Environmental control research reveals complex photoperiod–temperature-chilling interactions regulating dormancy and flowering. Emerging technologies include F1 hybrid seed propagation and AI-driven automation, achieving 15–25% energy efficiency gains. Despite progress, challenges remain in cost optimization, climate adaptation, and region-specific protocols. This review provides a comparative framework for nursery system selection under evolving climatic and regulatory constraints, identifying critical knowledge gaps and future research priorities for sustainable strawberry propagation.