With moisture, leaf spots have a water soaked border. The pathogen moves into stems from infected leaves and sections of the plant are killed. Rots which develop at the soil line or that affect major branches cause the plant to wilt or die. Root rots can be severe and stunt the plant or cause plant decline. Fruit rots are irregular in shape and olive green or light green with water soaked borders.
Infected seeds are brown and shriveled.
Phytophthora capsici produces microscopic, asexual spores called sporangia. In water, sporangia form and release several swimming spores called zoospores. Sporangia also germinate directly by producing several germ tubes that begin new fungal colonies. Both mating types are needed for the abundant production of sexual spores called oospores. Oospores are thick walled and form within a mother cell called the oogonium, which is red or orange in some types of media.