The relationship between resistance in seedlings, young and adult plants is studied for the pathosystem Brassica oleracea-Hyaloperonospora parasitica. Genotypes identified in the laboratory as resistant or susceptible or exhibiting a differential reaction to a selection of H. parasitica isolates were tested in 1997-1999 in seedbeds and fields under natural infestation. Isolates tested in the laboratory were grouped in five pathotypes, of which four were presented by isolates from Brittany, France. Genotypes susceptible to all pathotypes in the laboratory were also susceptible in the seedbed and field tests, while genotypes expressing a differential response to pathotypes were either resistant or susceptible. Accessions Everest, DEGC, ESPG and RS1105 exhibiting resistance to all pathotypes except I, were resistant in all environments and remained resistant in 2000-2002. Pathotype I was not prevailing in the field and results support the hypothesis that accessions resistant under laboratory conditions will be resistant under field conditions, provided the same pathotypes are present under the laboratory and field conditions.