Sunflower CRUISE

CRUISE is a high-oleic sunflower variety intended for classical cultivation technology and oilseed use. It belongs to early-maturing varieties with a mid-early maturation period, allowing for harvest collection in optimal timing. The plants are of medium height, reaching 165-180 cm, non-branched, with a medium-sized head that is half inclined downwards. The seeds are oval-elongated in shape, gray in color with uniform coloring and gray stripes along the edges. The high oil content of the seeds is about 50%, ensuring a significant oil yield during processing. The main advantage of the CRUISE variety is the increased content of oleic acid in the oil, reaching over 86-89%, which makes it unique among Russian varieties. The high oleic acid content ensures excellent oil stability and expands its application possibilities, including the production of dietary food and canned goods. The variety demonstrates high productivity and yield stability, while a plant density of 50–55 thousand per hectare is recommended to achieve maximum efficiency. CRUISE is distinguished by high resistance to downy mildew (races A-E) and root crown sclerotinia, as well as tolerance to phomopsis. The plant possesses high resistance to lodging, which contributes to yield preservation and facilitates harvest. Despite medium susceptibility to downy mildew, the variety outperforms standards in several agrotechnical indicators and responds well to high fertility, allowing for high yields with proper agro-technical management.