Fact Sheets no. Common soil-borne diseases of dry beans in this region are Fusarium root rot, Fusarium wilt, Rhizoctonia root rot and Pythium damping off. Root rots are favored by moderate to high soil moisture, various soil temperature regimes, soil compaction, poor drainage, continuous or frequent cropping to beans, and other factors that cause plant stress.
Pathogens survive for years in infected debris and infested soil.
Disease management relies on crop rotation, proper planting date, pesticides, and other suggested production guidelines that reduce plant stress. Many soil-borne fungal pathogens are widespread throughout dry bean and snap bean growing areas of Colorado and surrounding states. Yield losses range from a trace to 100 percent, especially when adverse environmental conditions persist after planting and through flowering. Pathogen Survival Root rot fungi can persist for many years in previously infected bean debris and infested soil by producing overwintering structures. Overwintering structures are stimulated to germinate by plant exudates from developing susceptible tissue such as bean roots.