symptoms
Symptoms
- circleSmall reddish-brown spots on leaves, stems, and pods (typically broad beans/fava beans)
- circleSpots merging into larger dark blotches in severe cases
- circleBlackened, collapsed stems and defoliation under humid conditions
help
Causes
Caused by Botrytis fabae, favored by cool, damp, still weather and overcrowded, nitrogen-deficient plants with poor air circulation.
healing
Treatment
Remove severely affected plants, improve airflow by thinning, and apply a fungicide labeled for Botrytis if the disease appears early in the season.
shield
Prevention
Space plants well, avoid excess nitrogen, stake or support crops to improve airflow, and rotate legume plantings each year.