Belfler-Chinook

Late-autumn variety selected by I. V. Michurin, obtained by crossing Belfler yellow with Chinook. Widely used in breeding, cultivated in private gardens, registered in regions of the North Caucasus.

Trees are vigorous, with round crowns and strong skeletal branches, densely covered with fruiting wood.

Branches are heavily pubescent; leaves are very large, dark green, elongated, with very large serrated margins, raised edges, and a downward-curving tip. Leaf blade is leathery, thick, matte. Petiole is green.

Fruits (see illustration) are large to medium-sized, oval-rounded, slightly ribbed, light yellow when picked, turning whitish as they ripen, with a mottled pink-red blush on a blurred pink background. Peduncle is short, calyx is deep and narrow. Receptacle is deep, wide, almost with straight walls. Calyx is small and closed.

Flesh is white, tender, finely-grained, with an excellent sweet-tart flavor and aromatic quality, dessert-grade.

Yield is good, annual, becoming less regular with age. Winter hardiness is moderate. Resistance to scab is low.

Advantages of the variety: fruits of high commercial and consumer quality.

Disadvantages of the variety: tall tree, late to enter fruiting stage, susceptible to scab.

Using Belfler-Chinook, 13 new apple varieties have been developed, including varieties already registered in various regions of Russia, such as: Altai Satin, Zavetnoe, Autumn Joy — all three selections by the Siberian Institute of Horticulture named after M. A. Lisavenko [(Purple Late × Pekin Shaffran) × Belfler-Chinook]; Izbrannitsa [(Antonovka ordinary × Belfler-Chinook) — self-fertile] selection by Moscow State University named after M. V. Lomonosov; Rossozhskoe Avgustovskoe (Belfler-Chinook — self-fertile) selection by the Rossozhskaya Regional Fruit and Berry Experimental Station, etc.