Marat Busurin

Autumn variety selected by VSTISP, obtained by crossing the American donor SR0523 with the variety 'Autumn Joy' (1982). Developed by V.V. Kichina. Rapidly spreading in dacha and garden plots of the Moscow region, promising for areas north of Moscow. Included in the State Register in 2001.

Tree is a bush type, medium-sized, with medium-density, moderately leafy, spreading, broadly round crown, skeletal branch angles around 90º, densely covered with lenticels. Fruit set occasionally occurs on two-year-old wood. Moderate crown and branch development vigor, tree is a natural half-dwarf.

Shoots of medium length and thickness, dark gray. Leaves yellowish-green, curved along the central vein, thin and thick, medium-hairy, elongated, serrated edges. Petioles of medium length.

Flowers are fairly large, dish-shaped, white with noticeable pink tinge, with a style, stigmas of which are raised above the stamens.

Fruits of medium to above-medium size, flattened-round, symmetrical, with weakly expressed ribbing on the calyx. Surface smooth, main color greenish-yellow, covering color light purple-red stripes on 1/3 of fruit surface, bluish when picked due to weak waxy bloom. During storage, color becomes attractive, white-marbled with few pink-red stripes. Peduncle very short, medium thickness, calyx with wide dish, medium-sized, seed chambers closed, typically no axial cavity.

Flesh white, juicy, tart-sweet, excellent dessert flavor, skin very firm, fruits transportable. Ripening is autumnal, but suitable for winter storage.

Fruit production starts on the third to fourth year, on MM106 it bears fruit abundantly from the third year with better quality fruits. The variety is very responsive to summer bending of growing shoots and timely summer pruning, yields are abundant and regular, winter-hardy and performs well where Antonovka freezes. Field resistance to scab is high (gene Vm), usually on dacha and garden plots fruits and leaves are practically unaffected by scab, but in gardens with high scab incidence, alternating use of speed and rubigan over many years keeps leaves and fruits free from scab.

Advantages of the variety: high taste and market quality of fruits with winter hardiness exceeding that of ordinary Antonovka. Among northern dessert-type varieties, it stands out for its crown, where main skeletal branches, as if drawn, are positioned at 90º angles, good natural half-dwarf habit and lenticel formation with regular fruiting. The variety is valued north of Moscow.

Disadvantages of the variety: none identified yet.