Broad bean rust is one of the most common fungal diseases of broad bean leaves. The fungus causes small, dusty dark brown spots on leaves and stems.
What is broad bean rust?
Broad bean rust is caused by the fungus Uromyces viciae-fabae. It is not as damaging as another common broad bean disease, chocolate spot, but severe attacks can cause defoliation. Expect to see significant levels of this rust from mid-summer.
It attacks broad beans, peas and other related legumes and has several races, but in the UK is only important on broad beans. Runner and French beans are affected by a more serious, but unrelated rust disease.
Symptoms
You may see the following symptoms:
- On leaves and stems: Small, dusty, dark brown spots appear
Control
Non-chemical control
- Maximise air flow around the plants by wider spacing and avoid damp, humid sites
- Destroy infected plant material at the end of the season
Chemical control
There are no effective fungicides available to gardeners for rust control on broad beans.
Biology
Uromyces viciae-fabae is a typical example of a rust fungus that carries out its entire life cycle on one host, which, in the UK, is the broad bean. Unlike chocolate spot, the infected leaf tissues remain alive, providing nutrients for the fungus while it produces dusty brown airborne dispersal spores. A dormant resting spore carries it over the winter.
Another fungal pathogen, Didymella fabae (syn. Ascochyta fabae), causes spots on leaves and pods, but is usually less damaging than broad bean rust.