Winter Striped

Winter variety, obtained at the VNIIS named after I.V. Michurin by crossing Borovinka with Champagne Renet. Authors: Z.I. Ivanova, G.A. Lobanov, V.K. Zaets, S.I. Isaev. Approved for the Middle Volga region. Widely grown in Tambov Oblast and neighboring regions.

Medium-sized tree with an elongated-oval crown, medium foliage, with raised skeletal branches that diverge from the trunk nearly at a right angle, quite compact. Bark on the trunk and main branches is smooth, brownish in color with a yellowish tint. Predominant type of fruiting structures: simple rings, spear-like formations, short fruiting spurs.

Shoots with brown bark, straight, medium size, strongly hairy, with numerous stipules. Leaves are large, elongated-elliptical or elongated-oval. Leaf blade is flat or slightly concave, curved at the base, positioned at a right angle relative to the shoot, medium hairiness. Leaf surface finely wrinkled. Leaf margin slightly large-wavy, with small, round, bluntly toothed serrations. Petiole thick, medium length, stipules medium size or nearly equal to petiole length.

Flowers medium-sized, white, petals oval. Stigma style medium, stigma level with stamens. Flower buds smooth, medium size.

Fruits (see photo) medium or above medium size, weighing 140-170 g, flat-round or round shape, one-dimensional. Skin smooth. Primary color at harvest readiness is greenish-yellow, at consumer readiness — golden-yellow. Covering — on most of the fruit as broad red stripes and streaks. Numerous, large, clearly visible lenticels distributed over the entire fruit surface. Appearance rating — 4.3 points. Fruit stalk short, thick, usually protrudes beyond the calyx, in central fruits usually enclosed within the calyx. Calyx deep, medium. Receptacle moderately deep, wide, smooth. Calyx cup closed or semi-open, with loosely closed sepals. Seed cavity bulbous, medium size. Sub-calyx tube funnel-shaped. Chambers semi-open. Seeds medium, broad, conical, brownish color with a reddish tint.

Fruit flesh cream-colored, loose, tender, juicy, suitable for both table and dessert use. Flavor rating — 4.5 points. Chemical composition of fruits: sugars — 11.8%, titratable acids — 0.35%, ascorbic acid — 27.8 mg/100g.

Harvesting occurs in the second half of September.

Fruits exhibit high storability. Optimal storage temperature is 0+1°C. Fresh consumption period begins in mid-October and ends in early April. Transportability is good. Fruit quality is high.

Fruits are consumed fresh, but are also excellent for processing: juices, dried fruits, jams.

Self-fertile, but yield increases with the presence of other varieties in the orchard. Best pollinators: Welles, Pêpin Shafran.

Distinguished from many varieties by good or abundant yields in early fruiting years. Fruit production begins on the 3rd-4th year of tree growth in the orchard. Young trees bear fruit annually, mature trees show irregular fruiting. High-yielding variety. At 15 years old, yield per tree reaches 80 kg.

Advantages of the variety are most pronounced when grown on dwarf rootstock and regularly pruned.

Moderately winter-hardy, in the winters of 1968/69 and 1971/72, slight darkening of the core in one-year growth was observed by 0.5-1.0 point. Drought resistance is medium. In wet years, leaves are affected by scab, fruits are nearly unaffected.

Advantages of the variety: high early fruiting, abundant yield, large, attractive, tasty winter fruits, high storability.

Disadvantages of the variety: medium winter hardiness, medium resistance to fungal diseases.