Identification

• Damping-off is a fungal disease of beans caused by Pythium spp. and Rhizoctonia solani. The disease frequently strikes plants in the initial phases of growth and leads to rotting seeds and seedlings. Older plants are also likely to get infected and die.
  
  

Symptoms

• Seeds and seedlings infected with damping-off do not germinate. Emerging seedlings are mushy and soft with water-soaked spots on stems. The lesions expand rapidly until the whole plant disintegrates. The roots of seeds are rotted and discolored. Infected older plants are stunted and wilted, eventually dying.
  
  

Control

• Avoid planting beans in areas with prior cases of damping-off. Do not plant in soil temperatures below 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant seeds at a shallow depth to ensure rapid germination. Avoid excessive use of high nitrogen fertilizers.