- Worldwide distribution. In tropical, sub-tropical and temperate countries. A wound fungus with many hosts, coffee, cocoa, mango, pineapple, sugarcane, taro. Many strains.
- Spots on the storage roots, and on the stems below ground. Survives as spores in the soil, and as fungus in roots.
- Spread in wind and also by insects – has fruity smell, and spores are sticky. Beetles take spores to wounds.
- Cultural control: if using a nursey to raise cuttings, site nursery on 'new' land; start with 'clean' tip cuttings for planting; avoid wounding storage roots; at harvest, collect trash and burn; avoid (i) packaging and storing crops with signs of the rot, (ii) or storing roots when they are wet; 3-4-year rotations.
- Chemical control: dip storage roots in thiabendizole.
