Irregularly shaped brown areas may develop on stems, petioles and pods. Infected plant parts exhibit spiny, black fruiting bodies (called acervuli) which are scattered or clustered across diseased tissue. Seed may be discolored and seed quality reduced.

The disease occurs under warm, humid conditions after prolonged rainfall. Anthracnose may be quite severe if harvest is delayed because of wet conditions. The fungus survives on seed and in crop debris. To control anthracnose, plant disease-free seed and rotate crops.