Veniaminovskoe

Winter, scab-immune variety from the All-Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Selection. Seeds from open-pollinated immune form 814 were selected from fruits of the 1981 harvest. Sowing was conducted in 1982. The seedling was selected for fruit quality into elite status in 1995. First fruiting was observed in the seedling in 1990. The breeders of the variety are E. N. Sedov, Z. M. Serova, V. V. Zhdanov, E. A. Dolmatov.

In 1998, the variety was accepted for State Testing in the Central, Central Chernozem, and Lower Volga regions of Russia, and in 2001 it was included in the State Register for the Central Chernozem region.

Trees are large with medium-dense, rounded crowns. Branches diverge from the trunk at an angle close to straight. The crown is relatively sparse, with branch tips directed upwards. Bark on the trunk and main branches is smooth and gray. The predominant type of fruiting is simple and complex clusters.

Shoots are medium-thick, curved, arc-shaped, angular in cross-section, brown, hairy. Buds are numerous, small. Buds are pressed, conical, hairy. Leaves are egg-shaped, bluntly pointed, spirally twisted, dark green, wrinkled, glossy, with coarse veins, slightly hairy. Leaf margin is toothed, with large waves. Petiole is medium length, hairy.

Inflorescences are shield-shaped, usually with 4-6 flowers; buds are white-pink in color; flowers are plate-shaped, medium size; petals are white-pink, round; petal closure is weak. Stigmas are at the same level as stamens. Pedicel is medium length; fused style is hairy.

Fruits (see picture) are medium-sized (130 g), moderately flattened, conical, broad-ribbed, slightly sloping. Main color at harvest stage is greenish, at consumer ripeness it is greenish-yellow. Cover color on most of the fruit surface appears as a pink blush. Numerous gray, clearly visible lenticels are present. Peduncle is short, straight, slightly angled. Calyx is deep, acute-conical, narrow, with weak rusting. Receptacle is medium-depth, narrow, ribbed. Heart is bulbous. Chambers are closed. Sub-receptacle tube is short, narrow, sac-like. Seeds are narrow, conical, brown.

Fruit flesh is white, greenish, firm, coarse-grained, juicy. Fruits are rated 4.4 points for appearance and taste. Chemical composition of fruits: total sugars — 8.6%, titratable acids — 0.71%, ascorbic acid — 4.5 mg/100g, P-active substances — 222 mg/100g.

Harvest ripeness of fruits in the Oryol region occurs from September 15 to 20. Consumer period of fruits lasts from October 15 to the end of February.

The variety is high-yielding. Young 8-11-year-old grafted trees, on average over 4 years (1994-1997), yielded 150 centners per hectare, whereas the control variety Antonovka ordinary yielded only 95 centners per hectare.

The variety is winter-hardy. Under artificial freezing in chambers (S. V. Rezvyakova) in January at -40°C, buds were slightly damaged — 0.6 points, bark and cambium showed no visible damage, wood was only slightly frozen — 0.9 points.

Advantages of the variety: immunity to scab (gene Vf), winter hardiness, dessert-quality marketable fruits.