Symptoms, Biology and Management of Ascochyta Blight (Phoma exigua) of French Beans: A Review.

French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a major export vegetable crop that is experiencing severe production problems because of the disease Ascochyta blight (Phoma exigua). The crop can be consumed as a green-pods, dry (mature) beans and shell beans. This is one of the major crops that can be grown all over the world. The most damaging disease of this pulse crop occurring worldwide is Ascochyta blight, attracts a lot of attention from researchers. The pathogen has the ability to significantly reduce yields. In certain parts of the world, it is thus known as a major economically significant disease of the common bean. Understanding the Ascochyta blight of French bean pathogen, disease growth, disease cycle and management strategies for efficient disease control will be the subject of this review. This pathogen first infects the foliage and then on peduncle, petiole, node, on pods and even cause stem girdling also. And there will be formation of clearly visible concentric rings of the fruiting bodies in symptoms. The disease is seed-borne and short distance spread will be with the help of wind and rain-splashes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]