ARMENIAN SELECTIONIST FROM KRASNODAR RECEIVES NEW COLD-RESISTANT STRAIN OF SUNFLOWER

Noyan Tapan
Aug 19, 2009

KRASNODAR, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Carrying on the
work of his teacher – Academician Vasily Pustovoyt, Karsnodar-based
Armenian selectionist Ashot Kalayjian has received a new cold-resistant
strain of sunflower. Many years ago Kalayjian turned part of his
summer house into an experimental field for scientific research, the
press center of Yerkramas newspaper of Russian Armenians reported,
citing Krasnodarskie Izwestiya paper. The favorite sunflowers
of the selectionist grow alongside forty varieties of grapes,
tomato, strawberry and apple. "I am looking for a "wife" for him,"
A. Kalayjian said jokingly, while gathering sunflower pollen into
a special cup. "The variety to be born from this union is likely to
become the pride of science".

The young agriculturist was employed by Pustovoyt Scientific Research
Institute after working at Lukyanenko Research Institute for several
years.

It took Kalayjian at least thirty years to grow a cold-resistant
suflower Vasily (the strain was named after Kalayjian’s famous
predecessor Vasily Pustovoyt). According to the selectionist, Vasily
has five advantages over modern varieties grown abroad: it is short,
like a wheat it can be sown even in December, it is high-yielding
and does require cultivation. The oil received from Vasily sunflower
does not yield to olive oil by its composition. Its pollen is white,
which means that the honey will also be white and therefore those
having an allergy to yellow substances can have this honey.

Besides sunflowers, Kalayjian grows unusual fruit trees and berries,
of which he is especially fond.