| Disease | Organism | Symptoms | Occurrence | Hosts | Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascochyta blight | Ascochyta fabae | Large, light tan to grey spots on leaves. Small black fruiting bodies develop within spots. Centres of lesions may fall out, leaving holes in leaves. Sunken lesions on stem similar in colour to leaf lesions. Brown-black discolouration of grain. | Common in all faba bean growing areas in southern Aust. Usually the first disease present in new crops. Most severe in wet seasons. | Faba bean, vetch Spores spread by wind and rain Infected seed | Foliar fungicides Resistant varieties Crop rotation Control volunteer plants Clean seed |
| Chocolate spot | Botrytis fabae Botrytis cinerea | Passive phase: small chocolate covered spots scattered over leaves Aggressive phase: tissue around spots turn dark grey and black. Leaves die and blacken. | Occurs in all areas where beans are grown. Disease usually becomes established in late winter and becomes more severe as day temperatures increase during spring. Can destroy unprotected crops in wet seasons. | Faba bean Spores spread by wind and rain | Foliar fungicides Resistant varieties Crop rotation Control volunteer plants |
| Rust | Uromyces viciae-fabae | Numerous small, orange-brown rust pustules, surrounded by a light yellow halo on the leaves of infected plants. | Most prevalent in northern Aust. Crops usually affected late in the season. | Faba bean | Foliar fungicides Crop rotation Control volunteer plants |
| Stem nematode | Ditylenchus dipsaci | Patches of malformed and stunted plants with curling leaves and water soaked spots. Stem may die back, turning reddish-brown colour. | Most severe in wet seasons. | Faba bean, pea, oat, wild oat Infected seed straw or soil. Nematode can survive many years in seed, straw or soil | Seed test Crop rotation |
| Sclerotinia stem rot | Sclerotinia trifoliorum var. fabae | Stunting, tip yellowing, small and thick leaves. | Rapid development of disease in wet, cool conditions. | Wide host range. Foliar form of disease spread by air-borne spores. Fungus survives in the soil for many years | Crop rotation Lower seeding rates, wider row spacings and good weed control |
| Subterranean clover stunt virus | Virus | Infection usually begins close to ground level and slimy wet rot extends into stem and down into the roots. Plants easily pulled from soil and have blackened base covered with cottony, white fungus growth. Usually isolated plants that suddenly wilt and collapse. Sclerotinia on surface and within stem turn from white to black. | Prevalent in all bean growing areas. Symptoms appear early on faba bean . | Sub clover, faba bean, lupin, lentil, chickpea, lucerne, soybean | Managing aphids and weeds |
| Bean leaf roll virus | Virus | Interveinal yellowing, leaf rolling, stunting, leathery leaves. | Occurs in all bean growing areas. | The host range is limited to Fabaceae | Managing aphids |
