PRESS BULLETIN NO. 5. 



July 15, 1905. 



BEAN ANTHRACNOSE, COMMONLY KNOWN AMONG 

 GROWERS AS BLIGHT OR RUST. 



The excessive rains of the past few weeks have brought about con- 

 ditions very favorable to the development of many destructive fun- 

 gus diseases of plants. One of the worst of these is the Bean An- 

 thracnose. This disease is -svTongly called by growers "Rust" or 

 "Blight." The extraordinary abundance and destructiveness of the 

 anthracnose throughout the bean growing districts of the State dur- 

 ing recent years has disheartened many growers and threatens to 

 discourage the extensive planting of this crop in the future. It is 

 for the purpose of acquainting growers with the general nature of the 

 disease and pointing out a remedy that this article is published. 



HOW TO KNOW THE DISEASE. 



The disease originates in almost every case from the planting of 

 diseased seed. If conditions are favorable it may develop rapidly, 

 killing the plants while yet quite young, or under other conditions it 

 may not appear to any noticeable extent until the pods are well 

 grown. These may become badly affected and the disease is then 

 known as "pod spot." 



Where it attacks the seedlings or yoimg plants it is very readily 

 recognized by the bro%vn or black sunken spots or pits on the stems 

 and cotjdedons. In many cases the disease eats through the stem, 

 causing the top to fall over from its o^^^l weight. When the very 

 base of the stem is attacked the injury may appear to be due to some 

 insect. Where the plants are affected after the leaves are well 

 developed these too will show the disease, especially on the underside 

 along the veins which become browTiish and dead. The blade itself 

 will often be covered with spots or cracks whose margins become 

 brown and withered. 



It is on the pods, however, that it becomes most characteristic and 

 destructive, especially if the attack comes late in the season. Here 

 it forms large dark brown sunken spots in the tissue. At the center 

 of these pits a tiny pink mass may often be observed, — the spores or 

 seed of the fungus. String or snap beans are often ruined, the dis- 



