The objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity to metalaxyl of two populations of Phytophthora infestans (Montagne) de Bary, affecting potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) crops in the IV and V Regions of Chile. A total of 254 isolates were studied in vitro and in vivo which were initially classified as sensitive or resistant according to their growth on Rye B media amended with 10 mg L-1 metalaxyl. CE 50 (effective concentration) values were estimated for each isolate from a regression curve of relative colony growth expressed in Probit unit versus six metalaxyl concentrations (0, 150, 250, 350, 450 and 550 mg L-1). The results of both years showed that all P. infestans isolates collected were resistant to metalaxyl. The CE 50 values for the isolates collected during 1999 in the IV Region ranged between 243 and 687 mg L-1 of metalaxyl, 9.6% of the isolates showed CE 50 values under 300 mg L-1. The CE 50 values for the isolates collected in the V Region showed values between 233 to 633 mg L-1 of metalaxyl, and 10.1% of the isolates showed CE 50 values lower than 300 mg L-1 of metalaxyl. All the isolates collected during 2000 were resistant to metalaxyl in both regions, 89.6 and 78.1% of the isolates collected in the IV and V region showed CE 50 values higher than 350 mg L-1 of metalaxyl respectively. The result of the metalaxyl sensitivity bioassay performed in a representative number of isolates showed similar results to the in vitro assay. This is the first report of resistance to metalaxyl in Chile.