Sunflower

Sunflower has been cultivated for more than 100 years. It was first cultivated in Eastern Europe and is now grown all over the world. During this time, environmental conditions, agriculture and demands on the sunflower have changed and varied between different parts of the world. However, all of them are united by breeding objectives such as yield and plant health.
Some breeding objectives from the past are less important today, either because breeding has been so successful - such as high oil content or high oleic, disease resistance or because conditions have changed and a certain disease is no longer a factor in sunflower production.
However, there are still further demands on breeding with regard to environmental influences drought, heat/cold and disease resistance or economic conditions such as quality traits e.g. protein content and peelability. Nectar and pollen production in relation to seed and honey production also play a future role.
Yield is clearly the most important breeding objective, even under stress conditions, together with rapid adaptation to new diseases.
The development of herbicide resistant sunflowers have facilitated sunflower cultivation in many areas.
SAATEN-UNION provides a variety portfolio for various applications and cultivation regions from its own sunflower breeding as well as varieties from well-known breeders for cultivation.

Sunflower areas are increasing again. This is because sunflower, as an undemanding extensive crop That requires few inputs, fits into the current "political" landscape. Moreover, it tolerates the increasingly frequent periods of drought and heat much better than other oilseed crops. Sunflower offers a valuable contribution to crop rotation.
- Conventional sunflower: main crop; oil production mainly for human consumption.
- High-oleic (HO) sunflowers: > 80 % oleic acid; frying fat, for heat-intensive industrial processes
- Sunflowers with striped grains: bird food
- Herbicide tolerance: "SU" at the end of the variety name = varieties tolerate herbicides with the active ingredient tribenuron; "CL" at the end of the variety name = varieties tolerate herbicides with the active ingredient imazamox.

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Brief history of SAATEN-UNION Sunflower breeding

2005 - present Strong cooperation with Nidera (sold to Syngenta in 2019)

2013 Start of SAATEN UNION Sunflower breeding in Romania, station based near Lovrin

2022 14 ha nursery (2 locations in Romania), 14 employees

What does „High Oleic“ mean in regard to sunflower?

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Recent successful varieties:

Alexa SU, Davero SU, Australia, Pretoria CLP, DUET CL HO, VICTORY CL, Driver CL