Plant pathology:Bean rust, Uromyces appendiculatus

Bean rust, Uromyces appendiculatus

In late January and for most of February, the vegetable garden goes into a bit of a decline as fluctuations of temperature, showery weather and high humidity, especially on the coast, make for an increase in fungal diseases, in particular rusts and mildew. The bean rust pictured above is clearly visible on the dark leaves of this purple climbing bean showing up as yellow spots on the upper surface and rusty orange blisters on the lower surface of the leaf. After a week or so the leaves start to turn papery brown (see below) and die, resulting in decreased yields and premature death of the plant. Spraying with a sulfur based product or eco-carb in the early stages may halt the spread to other plants but badly affected plants should be removed and binned not put into compost.