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.

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