Plant parts affected

Leaves, Stem

Initial diagnosis:

Early blight is first observed on the plants as small, black lesions mostly on the older foliage.

Symptoms:

Spots enlarge, and by the time they are one-fourth inch in diameter or larger, concentric rings in a bull's eye pattern can be seen in the center of the diseased area. Lesions attain considerable size, usually involving nearly the entire fruit; concentric rings are also present on the fruit.

Damage type:

Lesions on the stems are similar to those on leaves, sometimes girdling the plant if they occur near the soil line. Transplants showing infection by the late blight fungus often die when set in the field. The fungus also infects the fruit, generally through the calyx or stem attachment.