Apple Beauty of the Steppe

Summer variety developed at the Novosibirsk Experimental Station of Horticulture named after I.V. Michurin by A.A. Khristo, R.A. Bykovoy, N.E. Yurieva from pollination of early varieties, resistant to disease by a mixture of pollen from large-fruited varieties (previous name Siberian Beauty). The variety is included in the register for the West Siberian fruit-growing zone and is found in commercial orchards in Novosibirsk and Kemerovo regions.

Young trees have oval crowns, which become denser and broader with age. Bark on the trunk and main branches is greenish-brown. Main branches branch off the trunk at an angle slightly greater than 45°.

Shoots are straight, medium-sized, brown, weakly hairy, with long internodes and small convex stipules. Leaves are medium-sized, elongated-oval, green, with curved blades, long tips, and slightly rounded toothed edges, slightly curved upward. Petioles are long, weakly hairy, with an angle of departure from the shoot greater than 45° and small lanceolate stipules.

Fruits (see picture) have an average weight of 16 g, maximum 20 g, flattened-round shape, slightly ribbed. Main color is yellow, covering color is red, solid. Calyx is small, with soft slight rusting. Pedicel is thin, long. Instead of a medium-sized calyx, there are pearls. Calyx is non-falling, closed.

Flesh is creamy, tart-sweet, juicy, with a slight bitterness in dry years.

Fruits ripen in late summer, and can be stored in the refrigerator for 60-88 days. Chemical composition of fruits: total sugars — 12.6% (10.6-13.0), titratable acids — 1.4% (1.08-1.4), ascorbic acid — 10.2 mg/100g (5.6-16.4), catechins — 448 mg/100g (435-495). The variety has a high juice yield (68%).

The variety is early-bearing, beginning fruiting at 3-4 years. Yield is 90 centners per hectare, with moderate periodicity. Cold resistance is high, comparable to the variety “Fonarik”. Self-fertility varies yearly from 11.4% to 37.1%.

Fruits are resistant to scab, leaves are slightly affected. Main use of the variety — processing.

Advantages of the variety: early bearing, cold resistance, high yield, excellent raw material for juice production.

Disadvantages of the variety: mediocre taste, small fruit size, and short storage life.