Downy mildew Plasmopara halstedii (Ferl.) Berl. & de Toni of sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.) is a destructive disease occurring in almost all sunflower growing countries in the world except Australia. During 1988 this disease was noticed in Marathwada region of Maharashtra State India for the first time and its spread is now being reported from major sunflower growing states of India like Andhra Pradesh Karanataka Maharashtra Tamilnadu and Punjab. The disease is seed and soil borne and use of chemical method can solve the problem of downy mildew but the best way is to use resistant hybrids to combat the disease. At Oilseeds Research Station Latur (M.S.) India a new sunflower downy mildew resistant hybrid coined as LSFH-171 was developed and now it has been released for commercial cultivation for the benefit of the farmers in major sunflower growing states of India.