Divisi
Ascochyta blight
Ascochyta spp. · Fungal
Photo: Dr. Weidong Chen Research Plant Pathologist · Public domain
Ascochyta blight is a fungal disease of cool-season food legumes — chickpea, field pea, faba bean and lentil. It rides in on infected seed and survives on old crop stubble, then spreads through the crop by rain splash and wind-blown spores in cool, wet, cloudy weather. It attacks every part above ground — leaves, stems and pods — and can girdle the stems so plants snap and fall over, and blight the pods so the seed comes out stained, shrivelled or lost.
James Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0 
Peketichinna · CC BY-SA 4.0
Why it matters
In a cool, wet season Ascochyta blight can wipe out up to 80% of your crop — four out of every five plants' worth of pods gone. It is so hard to beat because it starts from inside your own field: the fungus rides in on the seed and lives on last year's stubble. Once rain begins splashing the spores through a thick canopy it races ahead, girdles the stems so plants snap and topple, and rots the pods. And sprays can only protect healthy growth — they cannot cure a plant that is already blighted — so if you wait until you see it everywhere, it is already too late.
When to act
Protect the crop at the first sign of lesions on leaves or stems during cool, wet, cloudy weather, before rain spreads it through the canopy.
This guidance is general, compiled from published agronomic references including FAO and CABI. Thresholds and timing shift with your crop, your variety and the season.
In much of the region a spray is simply called mushonga — medicine. But a chemical group you cannot name is one you cannot rotate, and a product you did not write down has no pre-harvest interval you can observe. Mushonga, and other farming words →
The full ascochyta blight field guide
- Identify it
- Scout for it
- Control it
15 field-guide sections in the app
The full guide to ascochyta blight — every symptom to check, how and when to walk your field looking for it, and the controls that actually work, ranked. Built into your crop plan, so you are told to look before it costs you a harvest.
Crops it affects
Frequently asked questions
How do I identify ascochyta blight?
The first sign is small, tan-to-brown spots (lesions) on the lower leaves, stems and, later, the pods. They show up first low in the canopy, where the leaves stay damp, and during a cool, wet, cloudy spell.
When should I take action against ascochyta blight?
Protect the crop at the first sign of lesions on leaves or stems during cool, wet, cloudy weather, before rain spreads it through the canopy.
How do I control ascochyta blight?
Prevent first — plant a resistant variety. This is your single strongest and cheapest defence: a resistant or tolerant variety holds the disease back more than any other single step and is the cornerstone of managing Ascochyta. Ask your seed supplier or extension officer which line is resistant for your legume and your area.
Which crops does ascochyta blight affect?
Among the crops covered here: Chickpea.
Catch it before it costs you a harvest
Divisi builds scouting into your crop plan — it tells you when to walk your field, what to look for at that stage, and what to do when you find it. Free for farmers, works offline.
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