Last year, the European Commission of the International Bremia Evaluation Board (IBEB-EU) identified a new variety of downy mildew that is commonly occurring in lettuce. As of June 1, 2021, it is officially named Bl:37EU . The vast majority of Rijk Zwaan's current lettuce varieties are resistant to the new downy mildew strain.
On 1 June 2021, the European Commission of the International Bremia Evaluation Board (IBEB-EU) officially designated the new breed as BI:37EU. This variety of downy mildew (Bremia lactucae, Bl) has been found in many parts of France in recent years and more recently in Spain, Portugal and Italy. IBEB-EU expects this breed to spread further in the summer and fall of this year, but it is difficult to predict which areas will actually be affected at this time.
Rijk Zwaan strengths in lettuce
The development of resistance to mildew is one of the pillars of the lettuce breeding program of the vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan. Downy mildew is always genetically evolving and many isolates are already known worldwide. “In our breeding program, we are constantly working to improve the properties of our lettuce varieties, including their resistance to new downy mildew variants. The vast majority of Rijk Zwaan's current lettuce varieties are resistant to the new BI: 37EU downy mildew strain,” says Johan Schut , Head of Lettuce Breeding at Rijk Zwaan. Rijk Zwaan product specialists will be happy to provide more information on the company's lettuce varieties and strengths.
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sustainable solution
Rijk Zwaan is a strong advocate of an integrated approach to tackling plant diseases to reduce the use of chemicals. While resistant varieties play an important role in this, the company also recommends plant protection agents and hygiene measures to prevent the development of new downy mildew varieties. Good hygiene practices, such as burying crop residues and removing diseased plants promptly, help limit the spread of downy mildew in lettuce.
International Bremia Evaluation Board
The International Bremia Evaluation Board (IBEB) is a joint initiative of lettuce breeding companies in the USA, France and the Netherlands, the University of California-Davis, the Dutch Horticulture Inspection Service (Naktuinbouw) and the French National Seed Station (GEVES). IBEB's mission is to identify new Bremia lactucae breeds that pose a significant threat to the North American or European lettuce market and to promote the use of standardized breed names in communication with producers.
Races are determined and nominated by regional IBEB committees specifically for each continent. For more information, visit the International Seed Federation website.