Bashkir Winter

Late-winter apple variety from the Bashkir Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture. Obtained by crossing Bashkir Red Beauty and Welles. Authors: R. I. Bolotina, G. A. Mansurov, Kh. N. Fazliakhmetov, T. G. Demina.

Widely grown in the forest-steppe and steppe zones of fruit cultivation in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Approved in Tatarstan, Ulyanovsk, Samara, and Orenburg regions.

Medium-growing tree with a rounded, moderately dense crown. Branches diverge from the trunk at nearly straight angles, crown is strong. Bark on the trunk and main branches is smooth, reddish. Bears fruit on fruiting spurs and buds.

Shoots are medium, straight, brownish, slightly hairy, internodes medium. Buds are few, small, light-gray, convex. Leaves are green, medium, elongated-elliptical, short-pointed. Leaf margin finely toothed. Leaf blade flat, slightly wrinkled, glossy, with delicate venation, no hairs. Petiole long, medium thickness, colored, stipules small, lanceolate.

Flowers medium-sized, reddish, aromatic, small cup-shaped, stigma column long, hairless, stigmas positioned above anthers. Blooms late.

Fruits medium (87–145 g), regular shape, flat-round, smooth, even. Skin smooth, waxy, with bloom, no russeting. Main color at harvest is green, at consumer stage — greenish-yellow with diffuse red blush over entire fruit. Few subcutaneous dots, light gray, clearly visible. Fruit stalk medium, oblique. Calyx medium, acute-conical, plate small, narrow, smooth. Calyx closed, small, calyx tube narrow, small-conical. Absence of central cavity. Seed chambers closed, seeds large, broad, egg-shaped, light-brown.

Flesh white with greenish tint, slightly acidic-sweet, moderate aroma, juicy, medium density, fine-grained. Appearance rating 5.0, taste rating 4.4. Chemical composition of fruits: dry matter — 15.2%, sugars — 8.8%, titratable acids — 0.67%, pectin — 0.76%, ascorbic acid — 8.4 mg/100g.

Fruits are of universal use, high transportability and marketability. Fruit storage life 220 days.

Self-sterile. Pollinators: Bashkir Red Beauty, Titovka seedling, Buzov’yazovskoe.

Advantages of the variety: characterized by good yield (110–210 centners/ha) and regular fruiting; low fruit drop. Highly resistant to extreme weather conditions and scab.