Causal Agent: 

Oomycete (Phytophthora capsici)

Characteristic Symptoms:
 
Lesions on stems are black, which extend from the base upward.
   
Root and crown rot are also common which often lead to wilting of the whole plant.
   
Fruits may also be infected. When high moisture is present, white fungal growth develops with heavy sporulation covering the fruit lesions.
   
Conditions for Disease Development:
 
The disease is favored by warm, wet weather and is polycyclic within seasons.
   
The pathogen may survive as overwintering spores in the soil for many months and serve as inoculum or in infected plant tissues.
   
Fruits in contact with the soil are most prone to infection.
   
Sporangia/spores are easily dispersed by wind and rain splashes to leaves and stems of healthy plants.
   
Excess soil moisture due to excess rain or irrigation, and soil temperature of 18°C–30°C arising from high air temperature are needed for disease development.
   
Management and Control:
 
Use disease-free seeds and seedlings.
   
Use resistant varieties, if available.
   
Remove and destroy blighted pepper plants from the field.
   
Avoid excessive moisture/prolonged leaf wetness by staking and using drip irrigation or reduce the number of furrow irrigations to a minimum.
   
Avoid excessive application of nitrogen.
   

protect seedlings by drenching with chemical fungicides like difenoconazole (e.g. ScoreⓇ, MontanaⓇ, PursueⓇ, BashⓇ), Pyraclostrobin (e.g. Cabrio 25 ECⓇ), metalaxyl+mancozeb (e.g. Ridomil Gold MZ 68 WGⓇ, Apron XL 350 ESⓇ) or carbendazim ( (Bavistin 50 DFⓇ, Goldazim 500 SSⓇ, Minx 500 SCⓇ, SuperdazimⓇ, Avert 50 WPⓇ, BiostinⓇ).
 
   
Apply protectant or systemic fungicides like metalaxyl+mancozeb (e.g. Ridomil Gold MZ 68 WGⓇ, Apron XL 350 ESⓇ), mancozeb (e.g. Attain M-80Ⓡ, Achem Mancozeb 80 WPⓇ, Micron 80 WOⓇ, VanzebⓇ) or copper-based fungicides (e.g. Cupravit®, Super BlueⓇ, Vitigran blueⓇ, FunguranⓇ, KocideⓇ, Hydroxide superⓇ) as soon as possible at the first sign of disease and continue at weekly intervals.
   

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