Early blight also affects stems and fruit, Circular dark brown to black spots of various sizes appear on the leaves. The spots, about 1 cm in diameter, are readily recognized by the concentric rings, or zonations, from which the name target spot was derived. When these spots occur around the margin of a leaf, their symmetrical ring-like appearance is often lost in the uneven outline of the edge of the leaf. Early blight appears as black lesions, which subsequently enlarge and elongate on the stalks, branches, and fruit pedicels, sometimes girdling them. Unlike septoria leaf spot, the centre of the lesion remains dark. These enlarged lesions are referred to as collar rot when they occur on the stems. Large black leathery sunken areas are produced on the fruit. These areas generally start around the fruit pedicel or in some small wound or crack, rapidly becoming enlarged.
The fungus occasionally attacks fruit at the stem end, causing large, sunken areas with concentric rings and a black, velvety appearance . Warm, wet weather favors rapid spread of early blight.
