Southern Blight

Southern blight is characterized by a soft watery decay of the taproot at or near the soil line. The disease develops rapidly, resulting in wilting and yellowing of the carrot top. White mats of mycelium develop on the carrot root and in the adjacent soil. Tan to brown roundsclerotia(resting structures) about the size of a mustard seed (1.5 mm) develop on mycelial mats. The abundant sclerotia are a good diagnostic feature of southern blight.