Aphrodite

Early spring variety, obtained at the All-Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding from seeds of open pollination in 1981 from the rust-resistant form 814. Authors: E. N. Sedov, Z. M. Serova, V. V. Zhданov, E. A. Dolmatov.

The variety is immune to rust (gene Vf), with fruits of high commercial and consumer quality. Approved for state testing in the Central Chernozem region.

Trees are large, fast-growing, with round, moderately dense crowns. Branches diverge from the trunk at nearly straight angles. Bark on the trunk and main branches is smooth, greenish-brown. Predominant type of fruiting structures: simple and compound clusters.

Shoots are slender, arcuate, angular in cross-section, brown, hairy. Buds are small, pressed, conical, hairy. Leaves are medium-sized, elongated, long-pointed, with spirally twisted tips, dark green with a yellowish tint, wrinkled, matte, with coarse venation. Leaf blade is slightly hairy. Leaf margin is coarsely toothed, wavy. Petiole is medium length and thickness, hairy.

Flower buds are large. Inflorescences are umbrella-shaped, consisting of 4-6 flowers; buds are pink; flowers are saucer-shaped, medium-sized; petals are slightly pink, rounded, slightly closed; stigmas are at the level of anthers; fused stigma column is hairy.

Fruits (see fig.) are medium-sized (125 g), moderately flattened, broad-ribbed, sloping. Fruit skin is tender, smooth, oily, shiny. Main color at harvest maturity is greenish, while during consumer ripeness it becomes greenish-yellow. Surface coloration is in the form of diffuse blush, stripes, and specks of dark raspberry color at harvest and bright raspberry color during consumption. Numerous subcutaneous dots are gray and clearly visible. Fruit stem is medium length and thickness, curved. Pit is small, blunt-conical. Receptacle is closed. Calyx is small, wide, grooved. Fruit core is large, chambers are closed. Subcalyx tube is short, sac-like. Seeds are medium-sized, narrow, conical, dark brown.

Fruit flesh is white, firm, with pink veins, finely grained, juicy. Fruit flavor is sweet-sour. Appearance and taste of fruits are rated at 4.4 points. Chemical composition of fruits: total sugar content — 12.0%, titratable acids — 0.46%, ascorbic acid — 11.5 mg/100g, P-active substances — 367.8 mg/100g.

Harvest maturity of fruits occurs between September 15-20; fruits can be stored in refrigeration until the end of December.

The variety is early-bearing and high-yielding. Young 9-12-year-old grafted trees, on average over 4 years (1995-1998), produced a yield of 125 centners per hectare. Control variety Antonovka common yielded 46 centners per hectare during the same period.

Trees are winter-hardy. Over recent years, damage from frost has not exceeded 1.0 point.

Advantages of the variety: immunity to rust (gene Vf), sufficient winter hardiness in middle-latitude Russia, high commercial and consumer fruit quality.