Sunflower SUNBRELA

Technological potential of the RAGT Sanbrela hybrid

RAGT 2n French breeding focuses on achieving a balance between vigorous growth and resilience to environmental stressors. Sanbrela is a Clearfield segment hybrid, specifically engineered for fields with high weed pressure where precise weed control without crop stress is essential.

Agrobiological Characteristics

• Vegetation period: 110–115 days. Mid-early maturity allows for efficient harvest scheduling, helping to avoid late autumn rains.
• Morphology: The plant height ranges from 160–180 cm. This stature ensures optimal mechanical harvesting conditions and effective distribution of nutrients to the head. The convex shape of the head promotes natural runoff, reducing the risk of rot.
• Oil content: A range of 48–52% represents a high level for a mid-early hybrid, meeting the demands of modern processing facilities.

Protection and Phytosanitary Profile

A key advantage of Sanbrela is its robust genetic resistance to major sunflower pathogens. RAGT breeders have incorporated resistance against white rot, downy mildew, phomopsis, and phoma. This is crucial for regions with high humidity, where fungal infections can reduce yields by 30-50%. The integration with the Clearfield (imidazolinones) herbicide system allows growers to fully manage weed populations, including broomrape (Orobanche cumana), enabling cultivation even on high-risk plots.

The black seed coat indicates high-quality shell development, which ensures strong germination energy. As a simple hybrid, it offers excellent crop uniformity, a critical factor for applying pesticides according to protocol and ensuring even maturation across the entire field.