Apple Berkutovskoe

Winter variety selected at the Saratov Experimental Station for Horticulture. Obtained by pollinating the Cortland variety with a mixture of pollen from Pink-striped Anise and Common Antonovka. Breeders: O. D. Berkut and G. V. Kondratyeva. Since 1988, included in the State Register of Selection Achievements approved for use in the Saratov and Volgograd regions. Awarded a gold medal at VVC in 1991.

Medium-growing tree, medium-dense, rounded crown. Bark on the trunk is smooth and grayish. Branches are straight.

Shoots are straight, medium thickness, reddish-brown, hairy. Buds are few, medium size, creamy. Buds are pressed, medium, rounded, hairy. Leaves are large, elliptical, long-pointed, green, wrinkled, matte, with coarse veins. Leaf margin is serrated. Leaf petiole is medium thickness and length, hairy, with stipules. Flower buds are medium size, hairy.

Flowers are dish-shaped. Petals are oval, pinkish-white. Stigmas are medium, buds are medium, creamy.

Fruits are above-average size, average weight 150 g, maximum 250 g. Fruit height is 75 mm, diameter 70 mm.

Fruits are single-lobed. Fruit shape is rounded, like Common Antonovka. Surface is finely warty. Skin is smooth and shiny. Main color is greenish-yellow and yellow. Cover color is dark-red stripes covering the entire fruit, transitioning into a blurred red blush. Subcutaneous spots are medium, few, white, clearly visible. Fruit stalk is medium, straight, oblique. Calyx is deep, acute-conical, medium width, with slight rusting. Calyx does not fall off, closed, rarely half-open. Dish is medium, medium width, finely ribbed. Heart is large, onion-like, chambers large, open. Sub-calyx tube is short, medium width. Seeds are large, conical, brown.

Flesh is white, firm, finely-grained, juicy. Taste is slightly sweet-sour, tasting score 4.5-4.8 points.

Advantages of the variety: abundant annual fruiting, fruit storage quality and high taste qualities, compact crown, winter and drought resistance.

Disadvantages of the variety: susceptibility to powdery mildew during epiphytotic years.