Leningrad Giant

Mid-season ripening variety, developed at Saint Petersburg State Agricultural Academy (LSHI) by pollinating the Altai 'Stakhanovka' variety with a pollen mixture of 'Exhibition' and 'Non-shedding' varieties. Authors: E.I. Glebova, A.I. Potashova. Widely grown in Leningrad Oblast.

Plant is tall, upright, moderately spreading during fruiting. Growing shoots are thick, straight, hairy, green, with colored tips. Woody shoots are straight, thick, grayish-beige, hairy. Fasciations occur, opposite bud arrangement at nodes, also 2-3 buds per node. On multi-year wood, flower buds are grouped in clusters of 6-8, forming peculiar twigs, which is very rare among black currant varieties. Buds are short, thick, egg-shaped, blunt-tipped, bright, purplish-pink, on thick stems, deviated from the shoot. Terminal bud is non-free. Leaf scars are wedge-shaped.

Leaf is five-lobed, large, light green (tips yellow-green), matte, blistered, with colored veins, widely separated lobes. Central lobe is broad, longer than lateral ones, with additional protrusions and pointed tip. Lateral lobes are triangular, with sharp tips, upper sides nearly aligned on one line, lower sides slightly angled. Angle between central veins of lateral lobes is obtuse. Basal lobes are clearly defined, veins directed toward petiole. Teeth are broad, blunt, slightly curled. Leaf base indentation is deep, narrow, closed by overlapping leaf lobe edges. Petioles are colored.

Flowers are large, with pale-red petal coloration. Panicles are short and long, containing 6 to 13 berries.

Berries are large (1.2-2.2 g), round, black, shiny, with small calyx and thin skin, but dry detachment, firmly held on the bush, juicy, tender, aromatic, dessert-flavored flesh. Chemical composition: dry matter — 15.3-23.8%, total sugars — 7.1-12.7%, free acids — 2.4-3.5%, ascorbic acid — 155.2-254.8 mg/100 g fresh weight. Berries suitable for fresh consumption and processing.

Variety is winter-hardy, early-bearing, high-yielding, up to 20.0 t/ha depending on agronomy, productivity 3.0-4.5 kg/plant, self-fertility over 50%.

Advantages of the variety: high winter hardiness, yield, large berry size, commercial quality and dessert flavor of berries, suitability for mechanized harvesting.

Disadvantages of the variety: insufficient resistance to pests and diseases, branches break under fruit weight, requires high agrofond.