Charcoal rot
scouted July 24, 2024
- Scientific Name
- Macrophomina phaseolina
- Background
- Soybeans in Beaufort County were scouted and 5% of the field was observed to be affected by localized wilting. Site is dry. These plants come from areas of a field that were likely compacted by equipment traffic predominantly.
- Conclusion
- The issue was identified as charcoal rot of soybean, caused by Macrophomina phaseolina. It starts out with patches of stunted or wilted plants, and while the infection can happen very early in the season, the symptoms usually appear after flowering or when plants become stressed. It usually does not represent a major threat to production in the state. Crop rotation to non-host crops may help limit survival of the fungus in soils, and drought stress mitigation, when needed, may limit the severity of disease symptoms.
- Resources
