Pickle growers gain access to new mildew-resistant hybrids

Downy Mildew on Cucumber Plant
Downy Mildew on Cucumber Plant

Seminis announced during the Pickle Packers International annual meeting the launch of the DM Defense, an intermediate level line of Downy mildew-resistant pickling cucumber seed for the 2016 growing season.

“There’s a lot of grower excitement around DM Defense hybrids, especially because the control options for Downy mildew for pickling cucumbers currently is restricted to the use of fungicides,” Nischit Shetty, Seminis' cucurbit breeding lead, said. “When present, Downy mildew can cause extensive foliar damage on leaves of infected plants and there can be a substantial reduction in fruit yield depending on the stage at which plants are infected and the extent of damage.”

"While DM Defense hybrids help provide yield protection when field or weather conditions do not allow timely fungicide applications, scouting and use of fungicide with multiple modes of action will be needed to achieve highest yield potential,” Shetty said. “Young plants are vulnerable and need to be protected by fungicide if there is a high risk of infection in the area.”

Seminis will initially launch two hybrids under the DM Defense brand for the 2016 planting season with more to follow.