Sunflower Everest is an early-maturing, high-oleic hybrid from VNIS selection intended for oilseed production. Its growing period is about 110 days, plant height reaches 170-180 cm, and head diameter varies from 18 to 22 cm. Black, large seeds have high oil content — from 49 to 52%, with oleic acid content around 85.8%, making this hybrid particularly valuable for producing quality oil. The head shape is slightly convex with a semi-downward orientation, which contributes to effective yield formation.
The Everest hybrid is characterized by intensive growth and rapid initial development, allowing it to effectively utilize autumn-winter moisture reserves. It exhibits moderate drought tolerance, so it is recommended for cultivation on well-moistened soils, primarily in forest-steppe and forest zones. Under conditions of sufficient moisture, yield potential reaches 5.7 t/ha, while actual yield can be around 4 t/ha. To achieve maximum yield, it is recommended to maintain a planting density of up to 65 thousand plants per hectare with good moisture levels and up to 50 thousand with moderate moisture.
Everest possesses high resistance to a wide range of diseases and pests, including sunflower helminthosporium race A-E, verticillium wilt, phoma, rust, downy mildew, gray and white mold, as well as sunflower moth. Additionally, the hybrid is resistant to lodging and seed shattering, which reduces yield losses under unfavorable weather conditions. Thanks to compatibility with imidazolinone (IMI) herbicides, effective use of plant protection products is possible to maintain crop purity and increase productivity.
