Premier Rtischev

Winter variety from the Saratov Experimental Station of Horticulture and Saratov State Agrarian University named after N. I. Vavilov. Obtained by crossing Kandil-Chin and Renet Volzhsky. Author G. V. Kondratyeva. Included in the State Register for the Lower Volga region since 1995. Widely grown in farmers' estates, specialized and private gardens in Saratov and Volgograd regions. Recommended for commercial and private orchards in the Volga region.

Moderate growth tree with compact, well-leaved crown; bark on the trunk is brown. Fruits borne on spurs, branches, and fruiting shoots; fruit buds often form on one-year growth.

Shoots thick, straight, brown, hairy, with few small buds of medium size. Buds large, pressed, elongated, hairy. Leaves large, elliptical, short-pointed, dark green, smooth, shiny, with delicate venation, hairy underneath, concave downward, leaf margin finely toothed, petiole long, medium thickness, hairy, stipules narrow.

Flowers medium-sized, 4-5-6 per inflorescence, buds purple-red, corolla dish-shaped, petals rose-colored, entire, not fused, stigma fused to half its length, not hairy.

Fruits medium to large, weighing 160-200 g, up to 500 g on rootstock clones, single-seeded, cup-shaped. Main color yellow, with a bright red, blurred blush and stripes over the entire fruit surface. Skin spots medium-sized, sparse. Fruit surface finely pitted. Peduncle long, hairy, with swelling at the base, straight, angled. Calyx medium depth and width, finely ribbed. Receptacle not falling off, closed. Receptacle deep, wide, no rusting, green ring around the peduncle. Core large, onion-shaped, heart-shaped. Chambers closed, medium-sized. Seeds large, conical.

Flesh creamy, finely grained, firm, juicy. Taste slightly sour-sweet with aroma; taste rating 4.5-5.0 points.

Early fruiting variety — produces fruit by the 3rd-4th year, annual and abundant fruiting, yield up to 400 c/ha.

Highly ecologically resistant. No damage observed during winter or from fungal diseases (scab and powdery mildew) even during years with extreme temperature minima and maxima or epidemic conditions.

Advantages of the variety: early fruiting, high yield, large fruit size, ecological resistance, fruit quality and excellent taste.

Disadvantages of the variety: fruit set and fruit drop during vegetation.