Ascochyta blight (lentils)

Ascochyta blight (lentils): biology

Seed-borne and stubble-borne. Healthy looking seed may carry high levels of ascochyta blight and introduce the disease at multiple points in a field. When stubble-borne, the disease often appears first at field edges adjacent to a previous lentil crop. It is dispersed by rain splash and spreads rapidly with frequent rain showers.

Yield losses up to 50% in susceptible varieties result from flower and pod abortion. Often the main economic loss results from offgrading due to seed discoloration.