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Botrytis grey mould
Botrytis cinerea and B. fabae
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Botrytis grey mould in a mature crop.
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Seed pod affected by Botrytis cinerea.
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Botrytis grey mould.
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Botrytis grey mould.
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Botrytis grey mould on stem.
Occurs in wet, humid conditions at any stage of growth, especially after canopy closure.
Can spread between lentils, vetch and faba beans.
Use varieties with reduced susceptibility (Northfield is very susceptible).
Avoid growing lentils in paddocks recently infected by botrytis grey mould in chickpeas or lentils or chocolate spot in faba beans.
Avoid excessive vegetative growth through early sowing, high seeding rates or high soil fertility.
Avoid sowing infected seed or sowing into infected stubble.
Apply foliar fungicide just prior to canopy closure in susceptible varieties.
Apply fungicidal seed dressing to reduce seed transmission.
Apply carbendazim or procymidone when disease pressure high and re-apply 10-14 days later if conditions persist.
Do not grow in close rotation with, or close to, faba bean, chickpea, lathyrus or vetch.
Spots on leaves are initially pale cream coloured; upper leaves and pods may be affected turning brown-yellow. Base of stems become light brown and develop a soft rot. Botrytis grey mould develops rapidly once canopy closure has occurred, masses of spores are released when disturbed; affected areas become covered with fluffy grey mould.
Few branches or the entire plant may wither and die; plants may ripen prematurely. Large areas of the crop may collapse, wither and die.
Infects flowers reducing pod set; affected pods may produce discoloured and shrivelled seed.
Infected seed does not always show clear symptoms.
Small black sclerotes may form on infected tissue.
K Lindbeck, formerly VDPI; M Materne, VDPI; J Davidson, SARDI