Common Fava Bean Pests and Diseases and How to Control Them

Fava beans are generally hardy and resilient, but like all crops, they can attract pests and diseases—especially in cool, damp spring conditions. Early identification and natural control methods will help you keep plants healthy and productive.

Table of Contents

Common Fava Bean Pests

1. Aphids
Aphids cluster on tender shoots and undersides of leaves, sucking sap and causing curling or distortion. They can also spread viruses.
Control: Spray plants with a strong jet of water, introduce ladybugs or lacewings, or apply insecticidal soap. Avoid excess nitrogen fertilizer, which encourages soft, aphid-attracting growth.

2. Black Bean Aphid
A specific type of aphid that targets fava beans, forming large black colonies near growing tips.
Control: Pinch off heavily infested tips, encourage beneficial insects, and use neem oil if needed.

3. Cutworms and Armyworms
These caterpillars chew stems and leaves, often cutting down young seedlings.
Control: Use cardboard collars around seedlings, handpick larvae at dusk, and keep the garden weed-free.

4. Leaf Miners
They tunnel through leaves, leaving winding white trails.
Control: Remove affected leaves, encourage parasitic wasps, and cover seedlings with row covers early on.

Common Fava Bean Diseases

1. Chocolate Spot (Botrytis fabae)
A fungal disease causing reddish-brown spots on leaves, stems, and pods. It thrives in humid weather.
Control: Space plants for airflow, avoid overhead watering, and rotate crops yearly. Remove infected debris.

2. Rust
Appears as orange-brown pustules on leaves, reducing photosynthesis and yield.
Control: Water at the soil level, avoid overcrowding, and destroy infected plant material.

3. Root Rot
Caused by overly wet soil or poor drainage. Plants wilt and roots turn brown or mushy.
Control: Improve soil drainage, avoid overwatering, and rotate crops away from bean family plants.

Prevention Tips

Practice crop rotation—don’t plant fava beans in the same spot for at least 3 years.
Encourage beneficial insects and maintain healthy soil with compost.
Keep the garden clean of old plant debris where pests and diseases overwinter.

Healthy, well-spaced plants grown in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil are your best defense against pests and disease. With attentive care, fava beans can grow strong and yield generously throughout the season.

Fava Bean Pests and Diseases Comparison Chart

Problem	Type	Symptoms	Causes / Conditions	Natural Controls
Aphids	Insect pest	Clusters on leaves and stems, curled leaves, sticky residue (honeydew)	Warm, dry conditions; excessive nitrogen	Spray with water, use insecticidal soap, attract ladybugs
Black Bean Aphid	Insect pest	Dense black colonies near growing tips, stunted growth	Cool, damp spring weather	Pinch infested tips, encourage beneficial insects, use neem oil
Cutworms / Armyworms	Insect pest	Chewed stems, severed seedlings at soil line	Night-feeding larvae in moist soil	Cardboard collars, handpick at dusk, remove weeds
Leaf Miners	Insect pest	White winding trails in leaves	Eggs laid inside leaves	Remove infested leaves, use row covers, attract parasitic wasps
Chocolate Spot (Botrytis)	Fungal disease	Reddish-brown spots on leaves and pods, poor growth	High humidity, poor airflow	Space plants well, avoid overhead watering, remove infected leaves
Rust	Fungal disease	Orange-brown pustules on leaves, reduced vigor	Wet foliage, crowded plants	Water soil not leaves, improve air circulation, destroy infected debris
Root Rot	Fungal disease	Wilting plants, brown or mushy roots	Poor drainage, overwatering	Improve drainage, rotate crops, avoid waterlogging