Renet Chernenko (Renet Kichunova)

Winter variety selected at the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Genetics and Selection of Fruit Crops named after I. V. Michurin. Breeder: S. F. Chernenko. Obtained by sowing seeds of Michurin's Renet Pepinovoy (Pepina chetverogo) from open pollination. Included in the regional variety lists of several areas in the Northwest, Central, Volga-Vyatka, and Central Chernozem regions of Russia.

Trees are vigorous, with round crowns. Main branches have greenish-gray bark, oriented diagonally vertically, individual branches at nearly straight angles. Many twig-like branches (prutiki, kop'yezya, kolyatki) cover the crown. Fruit forms primarily on two-year-old wood, on twigs and shoots from the previous year.

Shoots have reddish-brown bark, turning gray-green toward the base; leaves are medium-sized, elongated with serrated margins, smooth and glossy. Petioles are strongly colored at the base, angled 45º relative to the shoot. Stipules are thread-like.

Flowers are medium-sized, saucer-shaped, almost white with entire, slightly wrinkled petals, stigmas 0.5 cm higher than stamens.

Fruits are medium to large-sized, uniform, flattened-round in shape. Surface is matte. Color is greenish-yellow with faint, diffuse reddish blush on the sun-exposed side, bright red, against which darker stripes and spots are clearly visible. On the colored side, rust-colored subcutaneous spots are noticeable. Peduncles are short and thin, emerging from a small, deep cup with heavily rusted walls; rust sometimes extends beyond the cup. Receptacle is large and open, located in a very wide, deep saucer with slightly ridged walls. Sub-receptacle tube is cup-shaped and does not connect with the seed cavity. Chambers are closed. No central cavity.

Flesh is white, firm, with a pleasant sweet-tart flavor. Chemical composition of fruits: total sugars — 11.2%, titratable acidity — 0.85%, dry matter — 14.9% on fresh weight, ascorbic acid — 24.3 mg/100g, P-active catechins — 229.3 mg/100g.

Fruit ripening is late-winter. Under storage conditions, fruits last until April-May (235 days). Commercial quality is 87%, of which 52% are first-grade.

Trees begin bearing fruit on the 7th-8th year (after grafting), average yield per tree at 15 years old is 62 kg/tree, maximum — 120 kg. Winter hardiness is high.

Fruits and leaves are highly resistant to scab.

Advantages of the variety: high winter hardiness, uniform annual yield, high resistance to scab, long storage life, and high ascorbic acid content.

Disadvantages of the variety: fruits are insufficiently colored and rusted.