Characteristically, a brownish spot, l-2 cm in diameter, appears on the part of the fruit in contact with the soil . The spot has sharply outlined concentric zonate markings that are much narrower and closer together than those of buckeye rot. The spot can enlarge to 3 cm or more in diameter, and the centre of the spot usually cracks open. Soil particles are firmly attached to the cracked area by a cottony fungal growth that extends from the soil into the fruit.
Disease is usually more common on early July picks than on those made later. Soil rot also tends to occur after overhead irrigation. This same fungus also causes damping-off and girdling of stems of seedling plants.
