Blight (4)
I believe the answer is:
bane
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">blight</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(bane is a kind of blight)</span><br/ ><br/ >This is the entire clue.<br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for bane that I've seen before include "Something causing misery or distress" , "scourge" , "Curse" , "Affliction, cause of distress" , "Cause of great distress in a bean" .)