# Bean Plant & Black Mold
Beans are susceptible to a variety of pests and diseases that affect the health of the plant. Sooty mold is common on bean plants that are infested with insects such as aphids.
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Identification
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Aphids produce a substance known as honeydew, which is a sticky residue left on bean plants after feeding. Sooty mold develops on this honeydew.
Symptoms
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Sooty mold is a black fungus appearing on leaves, bean pods and stems. This mold is crusty and looks similar to chimney soot. Rubbing your fingers along the leaves affected by sooty mold causes it to rub off on your hands.
Control
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Eliminating mold causing insects is the best way to control sooty mold. Rinsing your bean plants with a stream of water can knock insects from the plants. Chemical controls are also available to reduce insect populations, which in turn, reduces sooty mold.
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