Pod & stem blight

Plants are usually infected by pod and stem blight early in the growing season. The pathogen may be present in green tissue without causing symptoms. The pathogen can infect all aerial parts of plant, but does not cause distinct lesions. Signs of infection appear on fallen petioles in mid-season and on pods and stems of plants nearing maturity. A key sign of infection is many small, black, raised dots (pycnidia) arranged in rows on infected stems, pods, and fallen petioles late in the season. In wet seasons, pycnidia may cover the entire plant at maturity. Upper portions of infected plants may turn yellow and die. Infected seed are cracked, shriveled, dull, and may have a gray mold on them. Seed infected by pod and stem blight may decompose after harvest and have low viability. Seedlings grown from infected seeds may often blighted.