Main symptoms

Affected plants frequently show slight wilting of the lower leaves at the hottest times of the day. Subsequently, as the disease develops, it can be seen that the old leaves gradually turn yellow and necrotize. They eventually dry out and remain attached to the plants.

This leaf dieback spreads to the tall leaves and eventually the plant can die. To these symptoms can be added a weak vigor of the plants which sometimes remain stunted.

A longitudinal or transverse cut of the lower part of the stem shows that these have a more or less marked brown coloration.

V. dahliae does not induce visible symptoms on the roots, no gummy exudates and lesions on the twigs, and no particular sporulation on the damaged tissues.