Several pathogens, including Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, and Pythium, can cause root rots. Root rots can occur individually or in combination, and cause many symptoms, including damping-off, cankers browning, and wilting.
Damage from Fusarium is common in dry beans, particularly in drought years. Fusarium produces symptoms with indistinct brown lesions and occasionally a more general browning of the roots.
Rhizoctonia is most common in warm, moist soils, and when the dry bean is grown in rotation with sugarbeet or soybean. Rhizoctonia causes more distinct lesions that are chocolate-colored to dark red.
Pythium is most common in wet soils, causing a soft brown rot resulting in a hollow tap root. Plants with root rot may be stunted with yellow leaves. Infected plants form fewer pods and smaller seeds.
Root Rot Disease Management
Crop rotation: Longer rotations may help reduce inoculum. If Rhizoctonia is present, avoid sugarbeet and soybean in close rotation. Root rot is less severe following wheat.
Seed: Plant high-quality seeds.
Seed treatments: Most dry bean seed comes with a fungicidal seed treatment, which will aid in disease management.
Resistance: Some cultivars may be more resistant to root rot pathogens than others.
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