Help another first

[elkwc36]

I know I've seen this somewhere and think online but can't seem to find it.
I noticed about a week ago on my Brandywine Sudduth the lower stems were a golden brown color and the joints seemed to be bigger. I've watched it every day. I let it sprawl and when it fell to the ground with the winds help the main stem split 3 ways. Two of the stems were the golden brown color from ground level up for 6-8". The leaves on the plant stayed a dark green with no wilting. I noticed about an inch of one stem had turned a brown color and shriveled but the upper part above it still looked ok. I cut that stem off and then cut the shriveled part and the center was hollow. Not sure how the upper looked so good. So I ended up pulling the plant not knowing for sure what I had. As I found my first hornworms today was giving the rest of the plants the once over. Noticed a few lower leaves on my big nice Carbon plant that had died. Upon inspection found one side stem up a ways on the main stem but it is a sprawler also that looked like the Sudduth. I found another spot of about an inch where it had shriveled. I removed it and cut open the spot and it was hollow also. The stem and leaves above the spot looked fine. I did remove another stem that was starting the golden color and it had new fruit set. The rest of the plant looks fine now. Any suggestions where and what to look for will be greatly appreciated. There plants are 30-40 feet apart with a windbreak between them. But most definitely have the same thing. It was getting dark but kept the stems and should be able to get pictures tomorrow. JD