Sunflower Credo

Credo is an early-maturing, three-line sunflower hybrid registered in the Ukrainian Plant Variety Register since 2015. It belongs to the steppe type and is intended for cultivation under adverse climatic conditions, exhibiting high drought and heat resistance, which is particularly important for regions with hot and dry summers. The vegetation period lasts 108–110 days, plant height reaches 150–160 cm, and flower head diameter varies from 19 to 22 cm. Seeds weigh 55–65 g per 1000 units, slightly elongated with a light gray striped pattern.

The Credo hybrid shows high resistance to major sunflower diseases such as fomosis, fomopsis, rot, powdery mildew, rust, and verticillium. It also demonstrates resistance to downy mildew at levels from 4 to 7 races, enhancing its reliability under various soil-climatic conditions. A distinctive feature of the hybrid is a thicker, looser flower head positioned at an incline, which protects seeds from direct sunlight and prevents overheating and damage.

Credo is not demanding of soil fertility and uniformly grows in height in plantings, simplifying agronomic operations. The optimal plant density during vegetation is 50–55 thousand plants per hectare, with the latest sowing date up to June 1. The potential yield of the hybrid reaches 45–48 centners per hectare, with oil content in seeds at 50.5–51.8%, making it profitable for oil production.