Treat soils with appropriate fungicides is available for commercial crops. Most bean varieties are susceptible to root rots under certain conditions but some more so than others. Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans and White Half Runner beans are among the most susceptible. Be sure to allow time for cover crops to rot before planting by plowing soil 4 to 6 weeks prior to planting. The fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum which causes anthracnose can reduce bean quality as well as yield.
Losses can be severe during cool, rainy weather.
The disease appears on all above ground parts of the plant but rarely on the roots. Lesions generally are dark brown and may contain pink spore masses during moist weather. Elongate, angular spots appear on the lower leaf veins spreading slightly into surrounding tissue and eventually appearing on the opposite side. Affected seeds are discolored. Plants grown from infected seed will develop cankers on the cotyledons.