Groups of seedlings may die in roughly circular patches, the seedlings sometimes having stem lesions at ground level. Stems of seedlings may also become thin and tough ("wire-stem") resulting in reduced seedling vigor. Leaf spotting sometimes accompanies other symptoms, as does a grey mold growth on stems and leaves. Roots sometimes rot completely or back to just discolored stumps.
Late damping-off disease, although the affected seedling usually topples over, it dies slowly because the water-conducting vessels remain functional for several days. Late damping-off is usually caused by Rhitoctonia solani, which attacks somewhat older plants in the seedbed as well as transplants in the groundbed.
