• The disease spreads rapidly through seeds.
• Symptoms of the disease are evident as seedling damping off, systemic infection, local foliar lesions and basal root or stem galls.
• First symptoms are yellowing of the first pair of true leaves.

• Sunflower plants carrying systemic infection are severely stunted and leaves are entirely chlorotic.
• Affected plants bear abnormally thick, downward curled leaves showing prominent yellow and green mottling.
• The stem becomes brittle. Small angular greenish yellow lesions may appear on leaves as a result of secondary infection.
• Fungal growth is visible at lower surface.

Management

• Seed treatment with Metalaxyl at the rate of 3 g per kg of seed has been found to give effective control.
• Choice of planting sites and disposal of infected crop residues also give a fairly good control.