Downy mildew is a major threat in lettuce. The fungus can damage the lettuce leaves in both protected and open-field crops, resulting in a loss of yield. Last year the European Commission of the International Bremia Evaluation Board (IBEB-EU) identified a widely occurring new variant of downy mildew in lettuce. As of 1 June 2021, it has officially been denominated as Bl:37EU. The large majority of Rijk Zwaan’s current lettuce varieties are resistant to the new race of downy mildew.
