Confidence against powdery mildew
Powdery mildew (Leveillula taurica) is a persistent and hard‑to‑detect disease in sweet and hot pepper cultivation. Because symptoms often appear late, infections can spread unnoticed, making control difficult and increasing the risk of yield loss. Lt Defense™ varieties give growers a reliable head start by slowing infection development. This reduces crop protection pressure and supports a stable, manageable crop throughout the season. Our latest breeding innovations ensure these varieties offer the highest level of protection available.
Harvest the Benefits of Lt Defense
Healthier crop
Lt Defense slows down potential infections, giving growers more time to respond and helping reduce the risk of yield loss.
Cost saving
Reduced spraying and fewer sulphur treatments lower costs and help extend the lifespan of greenhouse plastic.
Smarter crop protection
Reduced spraying supports better working conditions, improves the success of biological control, and helps lower residues better aligned with retail demand.
Proven perfomance in practice
Before a variety receives the Lt Defense™ label, its resistance is validated under real growing conditions. The level of resistance is indicated on a scale from 0 (fully resistant) to 6 (fully susceptible). Our latest Lt-Defense generation boosts the highest level of resistance available, scoring level 3 or lower. This advanced resistance provides growers with healthier produce and greater peace of mind. Powdery in susceptible varieties
Leveillula taurica (Lt) is a fungus that can only develop on living plant tissue. Spores form on the underside of leaves and spread easily through the air, both in greenhouses and in open-field cultivation. Because early symptoms are difficult to detect, infections can build up and spread unnoticed.
The first visible signs are small, light green spots on the upper side of the leaf. These gradually enlarge and turn yellow. As the disease progresses, affected leaf tissue turns brown and dies. Inside the leaf, the fungus continues to develop and produces new spores on the underside, allowing the disease to spread further.
Why growers choose Lt Defense™
Because powdery mildew is hard to spot in its early stages, managing the disease can be challenging. Lt Defense™ varieties slow down disease development, helping growers stay in control when pressure increases. This supports a healthier, more productive crop and reduces the need for corrective interventions and usages of sulfur.
With fewer crop protection treatments, growers can lower residues on the fruit an important advantage for retail markets. Reduced sulfur use also helps limit the degradation of greenhouse plastics and improves integrated pest management. Together, these benefits give growers greater confidence and peace of mind throughout the crop cycle.
Minimising the risk of spread
A clean start is essential in every crop cycle. Removing and destroying old plant material helps prevent the carry‑over of spores. As Leveillula taurica spores can survive for several days, leaving the greenhouse empty for around two weeks further reduces the risk of new infections.