Imrus

Winter immune to apple scab (with Vf genome) variety of apple from the All-Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Selection (Ordinary Antonovka x OR18T13) with winter ripening fruit. The variety was obtained through hybridization in 1977. It was selected as an elite seedling in 1988. Breeders: E. N. Sedov, Z. M. Serova, V. V. Zhdanov, Yu. I. Khabarov.

The variety was accepted for State Testing in 1989 and included in the State Register of Varieties Approved for Use in Production in the Central and Central Chernozem Regions of Russia in 1996. It is recommended in six regions of Belarus. The variety is suitable for intensive orchards.

Trees are medium-sized. The crown is round and moderately dense. Main branches diverge from the trunk at a sharp angle. Branches are curved, sparsely arranged, with tips pointing upward. Bark on the trunk and main branches is peeling, greenish. The predominant type of fruit formation is simple and complex rings.

Shoots of medium thickness, curved, angular in cross-section, brownish, hairy, with numerous small hairs. Buds are pressed, small, conical, hairy. Leaves are medium-sized, elongated, egg-shaped, long-pointed, with spirally twisted tips, green, wrinkled, glossy, with delicate veins. Leaf margin is finely toothed and wavy. Petiole is of medium length and thickness, hairy, with bright anthocyanic coloration extending to the central vein. Stipules are small or absent.

Inflorescences are shield-shaped, consisting of 4-6 flowers; buds are rose-white; flowers are flat, small, with rose-colored rounded, slightly closed petals; stigmas are at the level of anthers. Pedicel is short. Fused styles are hairless.

Fruits (see illustration) are medium-sized, strongly flattened (onion-like), slightly ribbed. Skin is smooth, without rust, oily. Main color at harvest is greenish, turning light-yellow upon consumption. Cover color occupies about half the fruit surface as stripes, streaks, and diffuse reddish-brown blush at harvest and magenta color upon consumption. Numerous small, visible lenticels are present. Fruit stalk is of medium length and thickness, slightly curved, oblique. Calyx cup is of medium depth, conical with noticeable rust. Calyx is closed. Receptacle is of medium depth, broad, slightly grooved. Seed cavity is large, onion-like. Seed chambers are small, closed. Subcalyx tube is short, of medium width, bowl-shaped. Seeds are medium-sized, conical, brown.

Flesh is creamy, firm, juicy, slightly acidic-sweet, with harmonious sugar-acid balance and pleasant aroma. Fruit appearance is rated 4.3 points, taste — 4.3-4.4 points. Chemical composition of the fruit: total sugars — 10.1%, titratable acids — 0.65%, ascorbic acid content — 10.0 mg/100g, P-active substances — 460 mg/100g, pectic substances — 15.2%.

Harvesting maturity occurs in mid-September. Consumer period lasts until the end of February.

The variety is fairly early-bearing. First fruiting of the seedling in the selection orchard occurred in 1985, on the 8th year after planting. In 1982, before the seedling entered fruiting, it was selected as a promising variety based on morphological traits and grafted onto an intercalary rootstock 3-3-72 for initial testing. The variety started fruiting in the 3rd year after planting in the orchard, and by the 4th year, it yielded 90 centners per hectare; by the 5th year, the yield reached 167 centners per hectare. The maximum yield for this variety was recorded in 1991 — 226 centners per hectare (on the 8th year after planting with one-year-old seedlings). The control variety, Ordinary Antonovka, never exceeded 90 centners per hectare. The variety is sufficiently winter-hardy in the Oryol region.

Fruits and leaves in the orchard are completely immune to apple scab.

Advantages of the variety: immunity (absolute resistance to 1-5 races) to apple scab on fruits and leaves, early fruiting, high yield and fruit storability, as well as high commercial and consumer qualities of the fruit.

Disadvantages of the variety: thin fruit skin.