Vascular discoloration manifests itself as a brown discoloration of the cells in the vascular ring. The discoloration is usually stronger at the stem end and diminishes in strength towards the crown end. If the tuber is cut away down to the vascular ring, this appears as a brown thread-like pattern.
The diseases occur in conjunction with haulm destruction in dry, warm weather. Vascular discoloration can arise whichever method of haulm destruction is used.