Divisi
Foot rot
· Fungal
Photo: Eiku · CC BY-SA 4.0
Foot rot is a soil- and water-borne fungal rot of the stem base, collar and lower roots — the collar is the spot where the stem meets the soil. It is caused by fungi such as Phytophthora, Fusarium and Sclerotium that live in wet soil and invade the plant at or just below ground level, especially where the soil stays soggy or the stem has been wounded. Once inside, the rot spreads sideways around the stem until it rings it completely (this is called girdling), cutting the pipe that carries water and food up to the top of the plant.
Eiku · CC BY-SA 4.0 
Scot Nelson · CC BY 2.0
Why it matters
Foot rot attacks the one part a plant cannot regrow — the base of its stem — so when it strikes it can wipe out whole plants and take up to 40% of your crop (about 2 plants in every 5). It matters because the damage is hidden down at the soil line, so by the time the leaves wilt the stem is already ringed and choking. And it is hard to fix once it takes hold: the fungus lives in your wet soil for years, sprays can't reach a rotted-through stem, and a girdled plant almost never recovers — so this is a disease you stop before it starts, not one you cure.
When to act
any plant showing dark, girdling lesions or gumming at the stem base or collar
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 foot rot field guide
- Identify it
- Scout for it
- Control it
17 field-guide sections in the app
The full guide to foot rot — 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 foot rot?
The first thing you see is a plant that suddenly wilts and yellows from the top even though the soil is wet — the leaves droop, go pale, then dry and die back, as if the plant is thirsty in a flood.
When should I take action against foot rot?
any plant showing dark, girdling lesions or gumming at the stem base or collar
How do I control foot rot?
PREVENT — keep the collar dry (your strongest tool). The fungus needs standing water, so plant on ridges or raised beds and make sure water drains away fast. Never pile soil, mulch or manure up against the stem, and keep flood or furrow water from pooling around the collar. Dry feet, no foot rot.
Which crops does foot rot affect?
Among the crops covered here: Common bean, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Roselle, Sweet orange, Tomato, Wheat.
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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