Apple Baganenok

Autumn variety selected at the Central Siberian Botanical Garden (CSBG) of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Breeders: V. N. Vasil'eva, N. V. Moiseeva. Obtained by hybridization of Siberian Beauty with the wild apple (Siberian). Approved in the Primorsky Krai. Widespread in many regions of Western and Eastern Siberia, the Urals, and northern Kazakhstan.

Tree tall, forms a low-trunked shape (trunk 20-30 cm). Young trees have a narrow-conical crown, while fully fruiting trees have a broad-conical crown. Branches are straight, compactly arranged, with tips pointing upwards. The predominant type of fruiting structures are rings.

Shoots are brown and thick. Leaves are dark green, medium-sized, with a wrinkled surface, moderately hairy, with large, serrated edges. Petioles are medium length, with lanceolate stipules.

Fruits (see illustration) are ellipsoidal, medium-sized (up to 42 g). Fruit surface is smooth. Main color is greenish-yellow, with a purplish-red covering over the entire fruit. Peduncle is medium length and thick. Calyx does not fall off, with a short, sac-like calyx tube. Seed chambers are semi-open, with egg-shaped seeds.

Flesh is yellow, with a slightly sour-sweet flavor and strong aroma. Chemical composition of the fruit: total sugars — 10.6% (8.2–15.3%), titratable acids — 1.45% (1.08–2.2%) on fresh weight, tannins — 0.14% (0.08–0.20%) on fresh weight, ascorbic acid — 22.1 mg/100g (18.7–39.6 mg/100g), polyphenolic compounds (catechins) — 101 mg/100g (33–160 mg/100g), pectic substances — 1.3% (0.73–2.6%) on fresh weight.

Fruits ripen in mid-September and can be stored until December.

Fruits are highly transportable, suitable for fresh consumption and various processing methods. The natural juice of Baganenok fruits is pale rose-colored, slightly acidic, pleasant, flavorful, and free of bitterness. This variety's juice is excellent for blending. Whole fruits with peduncles are used for making compotes.

Fruit-bearing begins on the 3rd–4th year, the variety is high-yielding (up to 156 kg per tree). Fruit production is regular, and the productive period is longer than typical for commercial orchards. The variety is cold-hardy and resistant to fungal diseases.

Advantages of the variety: high ecological resilience, high and regular yields, high commercial and consumer quality of fruits.

Disadvantages of the variety: somewhat sensitive to drought, fruits are less juicy in dry years.

The Baganenok variety is a valuable genetic resource for breeding for cold hardiness, high yield, intense fruit coloring, and prolonged storage life. At the CSBG, using this variety, cold-tolerant, scab-resistant apple forms with large, high-vitamin fruits have been developed and propagated.