Nympha

Late-winter apple variety of intensive type, promising for short-cycle orchards, selected by the North Caucasus Regional Institute of Horticulture and Viticulture, obtained by mutagenic selection of mutant clone Renet Simirenko 17-36 and mutant variety clone Kuban spur. Authors: S. N. Artiukh, I. A. Rapoport, T. G. Prychko.

The variety was introduced into the State Register of Varieties for the North Caucasus region in 2002. It is widely grown in commercial, farmer, and amateur orchards across the North Caucasus region, covering more than 250 hectares, and is promising for orchards in southern Russia.

Medium-sized tree with a round crown. Main branches have ochre-grey bark, raised upward, well covered with buds and fruiting spurs on which the fruits are located. Usually fruits and buds are from the previous year.

Branches have brown bark, straight, round, thick, internodes short. Pubescence on upper part of branch is moderate. Buds are light-colored, sparse. Leaves are light, ochre-green, broadly egg-shaped with oval base, compound, serrated edge, finely wrinkled surface, underside without pubescence, oriented upward on the branch. Petiole is medium or short length, with pink spot at base and blade. Buds are oval, large, slightly pubescent.

Flowers are large, cup-shaped, white with creamy tint, petal edges appressed. Style of pistil is medium length, bare, stigma at level of anthers. Anther bases located high on tube. Buds are white. Flowering occurs in mid-season.

Fruits are very large, 270-300 g, slightly flattened-round, height-to-width ratio very small, ribbing absent or very weak. Main color at harvest is light-green, on sun-exposed fruits a small pink-purple blush appears on illuminated side. Skin is thick, dense, smooth, with strong waxy coating. Subcutaneous dots are whitish, large, round or blurred, dense. Calyx is medium width and depth, slightly ribbed; calyx tube medium, open; calyx lobes short or medium length. Calyx tube funnel-shaped. Calyx cup is wide and deep, rusting medium in form of grey felt. Fruit stalk is short and thick. Central cavity of fruit is medium width, seed chambers open into it via narrow slit. Seeds are black, cup-shaped.

Flesh is dense, creamy, juicy with slight aroma, which intensifies during storage, harmonious sweet-tart flavor. Chemical composition: dry matter — 14.3%, sugar sum — 9.7%, acids — 0.63%, ascorbic acid — 10.7 mg/100g.

Fruit marketability is high — 90-95%.

Fruits are valuable for fresh consumption and processed products: juices, purees, chips. Storage until May and beyond. High transportability.

Trees start fruiting on 2-3rd year. In initial fruiting period yield is 70-100 centners per hectare, in full fruiting period — 400 centners per hectare and above depending on orchard management quality. Harvesting occurs in mid-late September.

Variety Nympha is self-incompatible; best pollinators: Kuban spur, Aydored, Korey, Prikuibansky, Zarntsa, Persikovoye.

Adaptability of the variety in test conditions in the North Caucasus region is high. The variety is practically resistant to scab and powdery mildew.

Advantages: ecological adaptability, resistance to apple diseases; excellent dessert, market, and technological qualities and transportability of fruits. Fruits are not susceptible to diseases during storage. As a green-fruit variety, it is valuable for dietary purposes for patients with metabolic disorders.