The ES Vanilla hybrid sunflower is a medium-late, annual plant with upright stems up to 100 cm tall. Leaves are large, green with slight blistering, and the upper stem hairs are moderately developed. Flower heads are medium-sized, downward-facing on curved stems, with yellow, narrowly-egg-shaped ligulate flowers and orange tubular flowers without anthocyanin staining on the stigma. The plant does not branch, and the seed side of the flower head is strongly convex. Seeds are medium-sized, narrowly-egg-shaped, with a predominant black coloration and clearly defined marginal stripes, between which are weakly expressed grey stripes. ES Vanilla is adapted for cultivation in the Central Chernozem, North Caucasus, and Lower Volga regions, and is recommended for the Stavropol Krai, Lipetsk, Volgograd, and Saratov Oblasts. Average seed yields in these regions range from 21.3 to 31.3 c/ha, exceeding the standard by 5.6–11.1%. Maximum yields reached 37.2 c/ha in Belgorod Oblast, 42.6 c/ha in Krasnodar Krai, and 29.5 c/ha in Volgograd Oblast. High seed oil content — from 47.9% to 52.5% — ensures stable oil harvests of 10.0–13.8 c/ha, also exceeding standard values. Sowing of ES Vanilla seeds is recommended in April–May directly into open ground at a temperature of 18–21°С. Due to its characteristics, the hybrid demonstrates high productivity and resistance to adverse conditions, making it a profitable choice for agricultural production in the specified regions.
