Peppers can be infected at any time during the season, and all parts of the plant can be infected. Phases of the disease include rotting of roots, crowns, and fruit, and blighting of leaves and stems. Seedling infections can result in damping off, with early infected plants dying quickly. However, few seedlings usually die if temperatures are low. On older plants, infections often occur first on crowns at or just above the soil line. Black lesions develop on the crown and lower stem tissues. These lesions expand and can eventually girdle the stem, resulting in permanent wilting above the lesions. Infected areas of the roots become water-soaked and turn a chocolate-brown color. Both taproots and lateral roots can be infected. Small lateral roots often rot away, and rot can shorten taproots. Splashing water can spread the pathogen into the upper canopy, leading to stem lesions and fruit infections. Leaf infections are not as common but can occur, showing up as circular lesions with tan margins and brown centers. Rotting of roots and stem tissue restricts water flow in the plant, resulting in a wilting of leaves. Wilt during the heat of the day exposes the fruit and can result in sunburn. Fruit rot is fairly common, especially on fruit in contact with the soil. Moist, cream-colored lesions form on the fruit, and these areas can become covered with a layer of white mold growth. Affected fruit shrivel but remain attached to the plant. Sometimes fruit can become infected in the field, but symptoms do not show until after harvest when the fruit is headed to market.