Pseudomonas syringae pv. Tissue adjacent to the lesions is initially yellow. Fruit lesions are superficial, seldom penetrating more than a few cells deep. The bacteria survive in soil, in debris from diseased plants, and on seeds.
Infection is favored by cool moist weather.
The pathogen is spread by splashing rain or sprinkler irrigation. Disease progress is stopped during hot weather. In severe cases, infected plants are stunted, which may result in a delay in fruit maturity and yield reduction. When the disease appears, change from overhead to furrow irrigation. Use resistant varieties, which are effective against most but not all isolates.