Stem rot and charcoal rot
Dark brown sunken patches circle the stem near the soil, peppered with tiny black dots, and the plant wilts and breaks.
Crops it strikes
What you see
When to act
In hot, dry spells split the lower stem of plants that wilt and dry early. A grey inside peppered with tiny black dots confirms it. There is no spray threshold: plan clean or treated seed and watering for the next crop.
What to spray
Active ingredients only, never brands. The FRAC group tells how it works: switch to a different group next time, so the disease does not learn to survive it. Spray only when the damage is worth the cost, and only with products registered with the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority for your crop. Follow the label. The Shopee and Lazada links only show who sells something with that active ingredient, not a recommendation of any seller or product.
How to prevent it
- Do not let the crop run dry at flowering and pod filling. Charcoal rot strikes plants under heat and drought stress.
- Plant clean seed, treated with Trichoderma where you can.
- Rotate with rice or other grains. A flooded rice crop clears much of the fungus from the soil.
- Do not sow too thick, and keep potash up so plants stand the heat better.
- Remove and burn sick plants and stubble after harvest, and work compost into the soil.
Natural enemies and biological help
- Coat the seed with Trichoderma before sowing, or mix it into compost for the planting rows.
Not sure it is this one?
Many diseases look alike. Send a photo to Anee, the smart farm technician in anee.io. She reads it with your crop, its age and the weather, and tells you what it most likely is and what to do first. In Tagalog or English.