The disease occurs primarily on plants nearing maturity and is most severe in wet seasons with delayed harvest. Look for the small black pycnidia of the fungus arranged in straight rows up and down the stem of diseased plants. Pycnidia may also be found scattered on the pods. The fungus also can rot the seed as the plants mature. Pod and stem blight is an important factor in reduction of seed quality in seed-production fields.
Infected seeds produce low-quality oil and flour.
Disease management options include planting high-quality certified seed that is disease free and has a warm germination of 80 to 85 percent, or greater than 75 percent in a cold germination test. A fungicide seed treatment is recommended at planting because of the seedborne nature of the fungus. To manage disease in season, foliar applications of fungicides are recommended in seed-production fields. The fungicides Benlate, Bravo, and Topsin-M are labeled for control. Harvest in a timely manner, because if weather conditions have been wet, all seeds on diseased plants can quickly be infected.