Aggressiveness was studied in seven Plasmopara halstedii (sunflower downy mildew) pathotypes: 100, 300, 304, 314, 704, 710 and 714. Aggressiveness criteria including percentage infection, latent period, sporulation density and reduction of hypocotyl length (dwarfing) were analysed in one sunflower inbred line showing a high level of quantitative resistance. Genetic relationships were detected between the seven pathotypes using 12 EST-derived markers. Pathotypes 100, 300, 304 and 314 were characterized with shorter latent period and higher sporulation density than pathotypes 710, 704 and 714. All pathotypes showed high percentage infection values and caused a large reduction in seedling size except for pathotype 314 involved in dwarfing. Pathotypes 714, 704 and 314 had an intermediary genetic position between the pathotypes 100 and 710. No correlation was detected between aggressiveness traits and EST genotypes.
