PROFESSOR SMYKOV

The Apricot variety Professor Smykov, bred at the Nikitsky Botanical Garden as a result of crossing the Arzami and Vyнослиvyy varieties, is a medium-sized tree with a compact and sufficiently sparse crown. The tree is characterized by a medium growth rate; skeletal branches of medium length and thickness depart at an angle, which facilitates crown formation and ensures good lighting. Shoots are red-brown, smooth, and hairless, while leaves are of medium size, elliptical in shape with a serrated edge and a slightly concave blade. Fruiting begins in the fourth year and occurs on all types of fruiting bodies. The fruits of the Professor Smykov apricot have an average weight of about 50 grams, a round shape with slight asymmetry and a pronounced ventral suture. The main fruit color is orange with a pink overlay; the skin is of medium coarseness with velvety pubescence, without a waxy bloom, and is removed from the fruit with some effort. The flesh is orange, of medium tenderness and juiciness, fused-fibrous, with a single-color cavity coloring. The taste is sour-sweet, with a tasting score of 4.5 out of 5. The fruits are of universal use, suitable for fresh consumption and processing. The ripening period is medium—mid-July, with late flowering. The variety is distinguished by high and stable yields of up to 140 centners per hectare, possesses increased winter hardiness of generative organs and resistance to diseases such as moniliosis and clasterosporiosis. Professor Smykov is self-fertile and does not require the planting of additional pollinators, which simplifies its cultivation. The advantages of the variety include a compact crown, high fruit transportability, and the possibility of cultivation in dense industrial plantings. The main disadvantage is low drought resistance.