Symptom

• Lesion at soil line is the first symptom noticed which extends inside and affects the vascular system.
• Symptoms become distinct when plants are in 6-10 leaf stage as yellowing of leaves followed by wilting, epinasty and vascular browning.
• Infected plants produce small sized flower heads which are partially blossomed.
• The fungus survives in seed, soil and in infected debris.
• The disease is severe in acidic soils with high nitrogen and warm moist weather.    

• Crop rotation
• Water stress should be avoided.
• Seed treatment Pseudomonas fluorescens recorded the least wilt-disease incidence.
• Soil application of Trichoderma harzianum @2.5 kg/ha. T. harzianum and T. viride seed treatment @ 10 g/kg seed.
• Seed treatment with Carbendazim (ST)
• Seed treatment with Captan or Carbendazim @0.1-0.2% 3 g/kg.
• Seed treatment with Trichoderma viride mutant and Carbendazim (0.01% a.i.) and soil.
• Application of potash (15 kg/ha) at the recommended dose reduced wilt incidence besides giving higher yields of safflower.